9Vengeance
by Kaoz
Summary: It's the one thing that keeps you going when there's nothing left. When everything you ever cared about, when those you love have been taken from you...
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_It's been a year._

_They say 'Time heals all wounds'._

_Maybe it hasn't been long enough for me. _

_I go about my day making appropriate responses. I breathe because I have to… I do what has to be done, what's expected of me and when the day ends… _

_That's when I'm more alive. _

_It just hurts too much; I miss the warmth, the comforting sound of his heartbeat-. It's a hollow in my soul, an emptiness in my chest… Prosy shit, right?_

_Like I care._

_I don't care._

_I know how I feel._

_I know how empty this all seems…_

_But I'm here._

_All I have is JD._

_Proof that it wasn't just a dream. That I really did live the past year. That we were really there…_

_I can see him… _

_JD has his eyes… _

_Green…_

_**The Hyperion…**_

Angel wasn't going to sit around and wait. He hadn't been much help to Phade before, kept her from being punished by those Powers of hers… This time it was going to be different. He wasn't the only Champion for the Powers That Be but he was a major player in whatever was coming next.

What would happen if he refused?

What would the Powers That Be do if he wasn't willing to play along anymore?

Would it matter to them if _one_ Champion refused to fight?

What if there were more….

**W**

* * *

_**AN: **I know I shouldn't have started writing this fic until I finished all the other one's I have in the works but I just couldn't get this out of my head, plus I had it all planned out anyway..._

_Let's hope someone enjoys it enough to let me know._

_Review pple._


	2. Salvage

**Salvage **

**_Hë'lîa … 8monthjs ago_**

White.

An endless vacuum of white, pristine…

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"It's just so…white."

Nothing was different, not for Angel or Gunn who'd been there before.

"What is the meaning of this?"

The group turned, some stared wide eyed at the Powers assembled in the white void. Angel recognized Phade's Guardian, Aquilles. He stood with four other Guardian's each with a Fury at their side in different uniforms.

Reyth, the God of Fire, stood with arms crossed, his face inscrutable except for the flashing silver eyes. Behind, dressed in leather and fur, stood a huge man, double the fire Gods size and width. His russet hair was braided and the full beard was neatly trimmed. The God was huge, muscle and sinew rippled along the bare limbs, an unnatural shine to his amber eyes which warned of the Gods violent nature. He exuded danger, the straightforward kind of violence that leads to blood and death and destruction….War.

The Goddesses stood together, the pale blond who Angel remembered punished Phade was in the front. Her ice blue eyes pierced each of them in turn but it was the others who captured the Champions' attention.

The males reacted to the fiery copper maned Goddess, she stood eyeing them curiously, her full lips slightly parted, almost smirking. Her gold-green eyes seemed to swirl and she glowed, or seemed to. Beside her stood the most unusual of the three. A Goddess with turquoise tresses pinned on one side by a pale sea star, it was threaded with pearls in varying colors and shades ranging from the most brilliant white's to the darkest black and every shade of blue and gray in between. Her aqua eyes shone from that pale blue face tinged in green. She wore a long gown of the sheerest material in varying shades of blue.

"Forgive the interruption."

"There is an issue to address."

"That will affect us both." The Powers That Be chimed in unison. Cordelia and Wes wore different looks of exasperation but the third, John, the man who'd taken Sebastían only offered a small smile, his brown eyes resting on Angel.

As one the Powers That Be turned to the Champions standing to their right. They were all there, Angel hadn't been sure they would come. Faith hadn't hesitated when he'd proposed the idea and Buffy had been annoyed the dark Slayer had agreed before she'd had a chance to do so herself but with both Slayers on his side, Willow, Giles and Xander had also agreed. Gunn hadn't needed to voice his agreement taking for granted that it was already clear he would follow Angel's lead as well. At least in most situations.

"You're Champions seek to change this outcome." The blue Goddess said in a sing song voice. Angel couldn't believe such a beautiful sound had come from the Goddess. He'd heard Phade's 'mermaid' voice before and been pleased by the musical tones that left him feeling at peace but the Goddess… she was on a totally different level.

"You're not getting rid of my kids!" Ryan stated. The sound of the human's voice drew Angel from his dreamy contemplation of the blue Goddess. He'd almost forgotten Ryan had insisted on going. He stood in front of the group, his gun in hand though he was smart enough not to be aiming.

Valkyrie and Jericho shifted uncomfortably knowing the Goddess wasn't going to appreciate their Father's outburst but they couldn't do anything about that either. They knew the Gods wouldn't care he was just a human; they had no use for the ones not answering to the Light. Their only purpose was to ensure the human race survived so the Light would continue, so they could please the Light.

Nisha's eyes paled with anger. No word or sound left her lips and as Angel reached to haul Ryan back into their midst his fingers passed through air. Cold air, colder than anything he'd ever felt and winced at the bite he felt on his dead skin.

"Father." Valkyrie exclaimed. She hadn't taken a full step towards the spot Ryan had been standing in when she dropped to her knees, grimacing in pain.

"SILENCE!"

Nisha's voice bombarded them. Everyone winced, all except the Od VaiLumen and the Powers That Be.

"You pain them." The golden eyed Goddess noted surveying the group with interest.

"We won't fight." Angel stated looking at the pale Goddess.

"None of us will lift a finger to stop the next apocalypse." Buffy chimed in beside him.

"Not a pinky." Xander agreed at their backs.

The blue Goddess moved around Nisha, her aqua eyes swirling as she studied the group.

"You would leave your world to die for these three?" she asked waving a pale blue hand towards Phade's children.

"What good is saving it when you play with our lives?" Giles asked. For once he wasn't wiping his glasses instead keeping his eyes on the Goddess.

"You push us around." Faith accused. "Order, command and what for? So you can sit up here-wherever and play with the 'stupid' humans-."

"Hey." Willow took offense at Faith's words but the dark Slayer just shrugged. She wasn't saying anything the others hadn't at one time thought for themselves.

"Give them the boy." The red headed Goddess said with a careless flick of her hand. The gold collar he'd been wearing turned to dust leaving him bathed in a shimmering dust.

Sebastían looked up, not sure what he was supposed to do.

"It's alright." John assured with a smile.

"But my brother and sister…" Sebastían hesitated, glancing to where Valkyrie still knelt on the ground and Jericho who stood at her back.

"Go with John." Cordelia ordered in a gentle tone. John took Sebastían's shoulder and gently pushed him towards the Champions.

Angel received the teen handing him off to Buffy and Giles.

"All of them." Angel said, his eyes on the pale Goddess.

"You dare…vampire." Her voice didn't rise but the cold seeped into Angel, so cold it felt as though his skin were burning.

"Nisha." Reyth stepped forward and the freezing cold left Angel. "We know every possible outcome."

"There is only one road left to us." The big Gods voice boomed, it shook through each of them. "War is near and our numbers are too small to be certain of victory."

"Kaladan is right." The blue Goddess sang.

"We can't afford to 'punish' anymore Fury's especially not a Guardian." The gold eyed Goddess murmured.

"The witch is certain to sever the Slayer connection to the rest." Reyth pointed out to the group's surprise. Willow hadn't been sure about that possibility. Of course she'd called the Slayer line using the scythe, it hadn't been easy but it was done, so undoing it would also be possible but none of them had a clue how to go about it. Threatening to end the line, as in de-activating all the new Slayers so that there was only Buffy and Faith again was supposed to be a last resort kind of thing. But now….

_'Could I, really?'_ Willow wondered.

Staring into the silver eyes of the Fire God, Nisha hissed an angry breath then turned to the twins.

Valkyrie, still on her knees looked up at the Goddess happy to have been able to get her Mother out of that cave Nisha had imprisoned her but frightened of what came next. Jericho had assured her the Od VaiLumen wouldn't get rid of them in the permanent sense because they were needed. Especially because he was a Guardian and they were stretched too thin with the amount of Fury's in their charge. Valkyrie hadn't felt very reassured by that.

"From this moment," Nisha tapped a finger on Jericho's forehead. Pain suffused his body, every cell burned with it.

He dropped beside his sister.

"Neither of you shall be known to us."

She tapped Valkyrie who couldn't contain her pained cry.

Reyth flicked his hand at the twins, annoyance on his features. The sheet of flames that rose to engulf them startled Angel, Buffy and Faith who'd surged forward intending to stop the 'punishing'. Willow's hair turned white as her magic gathered not sure how she was going to inflict any damage on the Gods.

"They are yours." The gold eyed Goddess smirked as the flames dispersed leaving no trace of the twins.

"Where are they?" Buffy demanded. Nisha didn't respond turning away from the Powers That Be and their Champions. She faded from the white void along with the others.

"Yo!" Faith glared but there was nothing but an endless white where the Gods had been a second before.

"What the hell…" Gunn shook his head.

"What happened?" Sebastían asked looking from one adult to another. He couldn't help feeling responsible for the twins. Hadn't they told him to wait?

"Sentence was passed." Aquilles responded.

"That's what you call it?" Faith snapped trying to keep herself from lashing out at the blond Guardian in charge of Phade.

"You couldn't do anything this time either." Angel added feeling angry at the uselessness of their actions. He hadn't been able to stop this 'punishment' either….

"Are they alive?" Giles asked, his voice tempered.

"Yes," Aquilles replied after a moment. "Alive and well."

"They've been banished." Tane explained.

**_Warren, Michigan…_**

Noisy, but it's always noisy at that time. For the past eight months there'd been no rest, no time to dwell on what had been my life-.

I remember what its like to be asleep, to feel his warmth next to me, his arms keeping me close… I want that.

_I need him._

I don't want to be alone, for JD to grow up wondering, asking questions I cant begin to form coherent answers for.

How is he going to understand demons are real?

I don't want that life for him.

Dean wouldn't have wanted it either.

We had plans…

**_Luc's…_**

"Yo, I'm looking for a woman."

Garth eyed the brunette, the black t-shirt a few sizes too small, tattoo on her upper arm, burning red lips down to the black leather pants he wouldn't have minded helping her out of…

"What do you want a woman for when I'm right here." He leaned on the bar using his 100 watt smile.

The woman let out a grunt not bothering to hide the admiring look she gave him.

"Maybe later. Right now I need her."

Garth looked down at the picture she slid across the bar, his eyes going wide. Suddenly the brunette didn't appeal to him as much.

"You know her." And she wasn't asking but Garth clammed up. He stepped back reaching for a beer mug and started to pour. He glanced towards Jack at the other end of the bar busy with customers.

"You look thirsty." He said sliding the mug towards her. "That one's on me." he smiled again eyeing the brunette. That feeling of unease grew stronger.

"Where is she?"

The mug was untouched and Garth was growing anxious. The woman had already passed through the Devil's Traps J had set up all around LUCS or and ceiling. When and how, he had no clue but she'd said it was done and they trusted her. Their beer taps were all laced with holy water and if the woman didn't drink…

"Cristo." Garth muttered loud enough she heard him but there was no blacked out eyes or reaction aside from the slight frown on her forehead.

"Phade. That's her name now where can I find her?"

"Cant help you." He shrugged. The rag in his hands was damp but he started to use it to wipe down the bar again.

"Quit flirting with the customers, Garth. Full bar tonight-." Jack cut off mid sentence as he spotted the picture the brunette held up for him.

"You two know her."

Jack looked away from the smiling face in the picture and straight at the muddy brown eyes of the woman asking for Jaden.

"Who are you?" Jack asked.

_**Upstairs…**_

Garth led the way not sure he understood what was going on and even though the woman clearly wasn't possessed he still felt she was dangerous,

"Thanks." She stepped around and headed to the only open door in the hall. Garth stood at the top of the stairs ready to help if it turned out he had to go to the rescue. Not that he'd ever been great at the rescuing part but he'd definitely grown into the role of knight. At least Jaden assured him she wouldn't count him out in a pinch…

He watched the brunette tap the door frame and then lean on it.

"Hey, PJ. You're a hard woman to find." There was a note of teasing in her voice.

Jaden didn't move, her eyes stayed on the window watching the sky start to lighten with the dawn. The noise from the bar had dimmed considerably in the last hour, pretty soon the guys would start closing up. She should've been down there helping, working…

"No call, no letter…."

Silence.

"You could've let someone know you were alive."

Jaden heard the clomp of heavy boots on the wooden floor boards, the hesitation as Barrabas lifted his gray head from the under the bed. Jaden stretched her hand out touching the soft bundle under the covers.

"Sorry." Jaden murmured.

"Phade-, that's it? Sorry?" another couple of steps forward and hesitation but Barrabas didn't growl or make a sound.

JD shifted at the sudden loud voice. The noise from the bar didn't bother the child, it was his usual lullaby but the tension in the dark Slayer's voice wasn't.

"You have something else in mind, Faith?" Jaden stood up, faced the Slayer at the opposite side of the huge four poster bed. Barrabas slid out from beneath moving to sit at her side. "Five by five, maybe or I'm fine-."

"You got people been looking for you." Faith cut in, her eyes straying to the huge dog at Phade's side.

"What are you doing here?" Jaden asked after a pause.

"Came to take you home and I aint going back empty handed. Your hubby's-."

"Dead." Jaden said in a harsh tone, "This is my home."

"It's a bar." Faith retorted. "Besides, your family's waiting on you back in Los Angeles."

"Family?" Jaden glared, she crossed her arms and clamped her mouth closed. It still hurt, like a fresh wound that wouldn't heal. Time was supposed to make it better, make the pain less but it didn't seem to be working. Everyday she missed him more, needed him back…

It was all mixed together in her head, her life in Los Angeles, the life with Dean… all those dreams, her flash backs- she'd refused to see it. Had forced herself to ignore it and now everything was different, changed.

Except for her, because some things were clearer, fresher and so were the emotions that went with it.

"The twins are old enough to get by without me. Valkyrie and Jericho have a responsibility to the Od VaiLumen. My Dad can handle Sebastían- I left them well off." Jaden assured forcing herself to ignore the guilt weighing on her for leaving Sebastían, again. This time he would hate her, and had every right to do so.

"Gotta say you got everyone covered." Faith mocked. "Except for Ryan."

"He's got what he wants." Jaden answered sounding tired.

"He wants you PJ." Faith glared. When Xander had told her she was picking up Phade this scenario hadn't even crossed her mind. "They all do-."

"He's not my problem. You can go back and tell him that." Jaden said dropping her arms to rest on her hips. "I'm staying here. This is my home."

"What about your kids? Those twins of yours are in a shit load of trouble and the little one's becoming a rebel. You seriously going to let whatever's going on with you and Ryan- Phade you can't punish them too." Faith shook her head; she didn't recognize the woman before her. "They need you."

Jaden glared, anger bubbling up to drown the pain she'd been wallowing in since leaving Blue Earth. They didn't get it, didn't understand she wanted to be alone, she didn't want to go anywhere, didn't want to be around anyone and the guys were smart enough to give her a wide berth.

The loneliness Jaden found at LUCS wouldn't be possible around her Father or at Pastor Jim's. Bobby had made his attempts as well, asking her to stay with him but even that was too close-.

She couldn't go anywhere, not without finding something of his…

"What are you talking about?"

"Your kids got striped of their powers, kicked out because they broke some rules looking for you." Faith jabbed an angry finger towards her.

"They what?" Jaden exclaimed.

"The little one too. He's got some funky mojo- I'm not going back there without you. I'll call for back up if I have to but you're going home." Faith stated, her body tensed as though ready to do battle.

"You're not making sense." Jaden shook her head waving aside Faith's pose. "And I'm not going anywhere until you explain some things to me."

Faith glanced sharply at the bed hearing the muffled whimpering. She watched Phade pull back the fluffy comforter revealing a sandy blond head. Barrabas whined, front paws resting on the bed as he watched.

"Woa-." Faith shook her head. "Baby. Whose is that?"

"You're eyes are as good as ever, Faith." Jaden replied dryly. She smoothed JD's hair out of his eyes murmuring to him in a soft tone until he settled down, nestling his head in the crook of her shoulder, a tiny hand tangled in her hair.

"Yours?" Faith asked watching the protective hold Phade had over the little boy, "You have a kid? You… man! I so don't need the drama."

"Yes, mine." Jaden replied frowning.

"He's the reason you're not going back? When the hell did you have another kid? I am so not telling them you popped another one out! You're- you- damn." Faith hung her head, hands on hips. It was almost funny were it not for the current circumstances.

"Then don't say anything. You never found me, never saw us, go back and tell them I'm gone, disappeared, whatever you like." Jaden proposed in a soft voice, one hand circling JD's back soothingly. She knew the Slayer wouldn't do that but it was worth trying, just to have a little more time in which to figure out what to do next. How to plan and explain herself…

"Right, cus-." Faith rubbed both hands over her face trying to figure out how she always ended up with the screwed up jobs. "The cavalry, that's what they said…"

"Tell me about the twins. There are things I need to know." Jaden ordered.

"You gonna share on the kid?" Faith asked sarcastically.

**w**

I wasn't in the sharing mood. I hadn't been for a while so Faith ended up in the spare room while I did some research. If the Od VaiLumen hadn't known about me being out then watching past events would certainly give them a clue. I'd have to use my power, join with the others, with the light we were all a part of… You leave a mark; so far I hadn't needed to fall back on what I was. Having the memories of a hunter- my memories of another life- it helped.

LUCS was protected, as much as I knew how and though raising a stone Devil's Trap beneath the bar would've been simpler I hadn't done it because of the Od VaiLumen. Because I didn't want to draw the attention from the rest of the Fury's and Guardian's. From the family I hadn't known was looking for me.

Hadn't that been one of Dean's reasons for chasing after me when he realized something was wrong?

I knew.

I saw it and I never said anything.

I didn't want our life to change.

Telling him I remembered, that I knew everything he had tried telling me was true- I didn't want to risk loosing the life we had built together in those short weeks.

It just wasn't enough.

It wasn't fair and I hate it.

I hate that I could've done something, that I could've looked, exactly as I'm going to do now, and I didn't-.

The mirror in the bathroom wasn't as big as the one Ahalya made for me but it would serve the same purpose.

Everything was easy, like riding a bike; you never forget how once you learn. That's not to say it was easy because it was all about the control.

It's always about control.

"Just concentrate…"

But I was nervous as well. I mean what was I going to find? What if I saw something I couldn't change-?

Right. Because Dean being dead is going to change- whatever.

"Rux vha. Ehcco mahgde… show me."

The mirror wavered as the tips of my fingers touched the glass. It was a gentle ripple effect with the waves freezing almost immediately at the edges. The foggy white mist cleared and I saw them, they were sitting on the hood of the Impala, red and blue lights flashing over their faces.

He was so…his eyes just-.

That look had never left his eyes.

That night he'd driven me home, tried telling me I wasn't making sense and then just assuring me I wasn't crazy- that I _had_ seen the Aswang… John had saved my life and countless others by then only I hadn't known.

The images changed, the boys grew up, they moved around- too much and it showed on them, all three of them. Hunt after hunt, chasing after the YED, Dean practically taking on the parent role and caring for Sam… It's a wonder Dean hadn't made a deal sooner.

_"You watch out for Sammy."_

Only John really didn't know what he was protecting, what he was doing to Dean-. They're both dead. Two good men, hunters… and they died for _him_.

"Family."

Dean was my family. He was there to make sure I was ok even when all I kept doing was threatening and pushing him away.

Family was supposed to be there no matter what and Faith was here because my so called family had been looking for me?

Nothing had changed. Not a damn thing. Having two lives, two sets of memories- Dad never said anything about aunt Luc, not after he saw Lorne, not after the vampires trying to drink them-. I've never heard him say he believes I saw the YED, that it's possible I was telling the truth about aunt Luc and Mom.

Family…

John drilled that one sentence into Dean, _"Take care of Sam."_ Over and over, until it was all Dean knew, all he could focus on when things got real bad.

The only ones you could count on were family. Another nugget of wisdom had drilled into his boys and Dean had repeated it often enough…

He never should've made the deal. He never should've traded his life and he wouldn't have had it not been for John's voice in his head repeating those words.

_"Take care of your brother."_

Like a fucking scratched cd, eating at him, echoing, repeating…

He should've let him go.

It wasn't supposed to be Dean lying in a grave while Sam got to live. While Sam played the grieving brother, got to cry over the closed casket…

"It should've been Sam."

w

"What the hell are you doing?" Garth demanded slapping his palm on the door. He was smart enough not to open it but the hiccupping sobs coming from the other side …

"Why's JD crying?" Jack asked coming up behind Garth. The sudden bark from the other side urged Garth to reach for the door knob.

"I was just going to ask her that." The blond replied. Feeling braver with Jack at his side, Garth opened the door and walked in.

JD sat in the middle of the bed, hemmed in on all sides by the mountain of pillows Jaden always had. His face was blotchy, tear streaked and his hands were clutching at the coverlet. Barrabas padded from the bed to the door, his tail wagging exaggeratedly.

"It's alright, JD." The blond headed straight to the outstretched pudgy arms. "Uncle Garth's here. No more crying."

Jack looked around surprised not to find Jaden or see his godson had been crying, something she wouldn't have allowed, not so that he was red in the face. He absently patted Barrabas, ignorant of the dog's urging as he checked the salt lines on the window.

"Yo, what's going on?"

Both guys turned to the brunette, a friend of Jaden's from LA they weren't sure was a real friend, but J hadn't tossed the woman out.

"Where's PJ?"

"PJ?" Garth echoed with raised brows as he patted JD. Jack moved towards the second window ignoring Faith when the bathroom door creaked. He changed direction pushing the door open.

"Jaden." He stepped around her body going to his knees and reaching to her neck. Footsteps sounded on the floor boards but Barrabas bounded in, his nose sniffing around Jaden's head. Jack pushed the snout away, glad to find a strong pulse. "J, can you hear me?"

"What happened?" Faith demanded at his back. Her eyes warily following the big dog Phade had introduced as Barrabas.

"J?" Jack picked inky strands out of her face reaching for one of the towels on the counter when he saw the red smudge coming out of her nose.

"Jack?" Garth poked his head into the bathroom carefully keeping JD's head nestled into his shoulder. "What's going on?"

"I don't know." Jack snapped slipping his arms under Jaden and lifting her off the floor. He stood pointedly looking at Faith standing in his way. She moved following as he lay Jaden gently on her bed. His brow furrowed with worry and Dean's concerns came to mind. He'd told them about her fainting spells, the bloody nose but Jack hadn't seen any of it not since Jaden had returned to LUCS with JD. Since his birth Jaden had seemed fine, in perfect health if not temperament but it was understandable. Now she was laid out on her bath room floor with a nose bleed?

"Do I call an ambulance?" Garth asked trying to keep a wiggling JD from seeing his Mother's pale face.

"I don't think we need one." Jack replied but Faith could see he wasn't sure. Just then JD decided he'd had enough and let out a piercing shriek. It was followed by Barrabas, barking. JD kicked and squirmed until Jack snapped at Garth to set him down and ordered Barrabas to quiet down.

"Kids go some lungs." Faith commented unable to help the smile tugging at her lips.

Now on the bed JD crawled over to Jaden repeating "Má, Má, Má," over and over until he plopped his bottom beside her head. Barrabas obediently sat at the foot of the bed his gray eyes following everyone around.

"She's sleeping kiddo." Jack murmured placing a finger over his lips but JD didn't stop. He tapped his small hand on her forehead.

"Hey, gentle you little monster." Garth warned but he was ignored.

Garth reached for the toddler, annoyed and uncaring of another shrieking match. The kid couldn't keep it up forever right?

Faith was surprised by the warmth of emotion as she watched the kid place a sloppy kiss on his Mother's forehead. Her smile disappeared as a glow suffused them both.

"Holy shit!" Garth exclaimed pulling his arms away as though something big and terrible had tried to take a piece of them. Jack shot to his feet and away from the bed, shocked by the glow which subsided a second later.

"What the fuck was that?" Garth rasped past his suddenly dry lips.

"Watch you mouth, retard." Her voice was a soft whisper but even that was audible.

"Má! Má! Má!" JD bounced again this time clapping his hands. Jaden grimaced, her eyes were unfocused as she separated the images in her head from the Væxça'táÿ and concentrated on the people in her bedroom.

"You glowed." Jack murmured eyeing her in disbelief. "You were glowing, J." his tone turned accusing.

"I am not pregnant." Jaden retorted sitting up.

"Good." Garth nodded still staring at JD and her with surprise. "Totally not what he meant…"

"PJ, you were glowing." Faith grabbed the post and leaned towards her, dark eyes searching… "..It wasn't you?" but the Slayer was fairly sure it couldn't be what she was thinking.

"Má! Má! Má!" JD exclaimed again climbing into her lap.

"I was glowing…." Jaden repeated looking at each adult, absently pulling JD's hands from her cheeks were he was tapping them. "Me…"

Her attention turned to JD, not wanting to believe she'd cursed him with another one but their thoughts were all the same.

"Knife, give me a knife." Jaden demanded of the guys but it was Faith who reluctantly handed over her dagger. Before the guys could think of stopping her, Jaden slashed her arm. JD shrieked, his hands slapping down on the bare arm. The guys watched in fascination as the glow spread from his little hands all over Jaden's arm. And he scolded her, his words unintelligible but the tone was unmistakable.

"Alright." Garth threw his arms up. "What the hell is going on?"

"Why is- I mean how does-?" Jack shook his head, one hand gripping the mess of dark hair in need of a trimming. "What?"

"They don't know." Faith said shaking her head when Jaden didn't deny it. "She's a Fury."

"No feathers." Garth noted.

"Not from the Greek myths." Faith growled. To Jaden she asked; "You got all your memories back and didn't tell them anything?"

"The Od VaiLumen weren't knocking at my door." Jaden shrugged. "Figured I'd stay as normal as possible considering…."

"Normal!" Jack's voice rose. "That- JD glowing- that's not normal, Jaden!"

"It is when he's going to be a Guardian." Faith replied moving to sit on the edge of the bed. "Those Powers of yours weren't happy to loose the twins,"

"Twins?"

"What twins?"

"Her twins." Faith pointed a finger at Jaden who was still sitting quietly on the bed, brown eyes locked on JD.

"You have twins?" the guys shouted in unison.

"With Dean-N…o?" Garth hesitated not sure of where he was going with the question.

"With her husband, Ryan who's waiting in Los Angeles." Faith revealed.

"You're married!" they shouted again.

"You're a bigamist- she's a bigamist." Garth said to Jack.

"Wh- I mean you couldn't tell us, J?" Jack demanded. "Mother of three and this Fu-."

"Four." Faith cut in enjoying the guys pacing and wild looks.

"Huh." Garth stopped in mid stride to stare at Faith.

"Four kids." She held up her hand and counted out four to emphasize.

"Four!" Jack exclaimed.

"Alright, enough!" Jaden ordered. She took them all in, their varying expression and whirring thoughts annoyed by Faith's amusement. She could see Jack was very upset but it didn't compare to the anger festering in her.

Jack noticed and seeing how easily she'd cut herself he had no desire to see what else she was capable of.

"Everyone out."

"You're throwing us out?" Jack wondered.

"We got questions J!" Garth exclaimed ignoring JD's scolding mutters.

"Heel blondie." Faith warned. She got up and grabbed Garth by his shirt, leading him towards the door whether he wanted to or not. "Better go before the bar-b-q starts."

"Bar-b-q?" Jack echoed with a frown at Jaden.

"Stick around, I'll show you." She said softly. "JD could heal the third degree burns but it's still going to hurt." Jaden warned. She ignored Barrabas as he jumped into the bed. He sat with JD who's reaching hands latched onto the floppy ear, shrieking in delight when Barrabas' pink tongue lashed out slobbering all over his neck.

Jack stood dumbfounded; he couldn't wrap his mind around what he'd heard during the last fifteen minutes.

"Third-you-fire-?" Jack's confusion stilled his limbs.

"OUT!" Jaden yelled.

The door slammed closed in Faith and Garth's faces startling Jack who at that moment wished was on the other side. His clothes felt suddenly warm, uncomfortably so and looking at Jaden he was frightened by the orange red shimmer in her usually brown eyes. Before he could utter a sound, a wall of flames erupted from the floor. Jack threw up his arms in a vain attempt to protect his face.

w

I heard Jack's choked curses fro the hallway. Apparently the fiery teleportation had left him on his ass.

He should've left when I asked the first time.

"Má, Má, Má, Má, Má,'

"I'm sorry coarazon."

JD stopped his rambling 'Má' and looked at me. His little face confused. Beside us, Barrabas hunkered down and whined.

Again.

I'd cursed another one and I'd been hoping that because of the memory wipe and my punishment- lack of powers- JD wouldn't have to go through a bonding with whatever element he ended up inheriting. There was just too much risk…

I'd hoped JD would get to be normal, like Sebastían but Faith says he's got some power too.

And I've seen it. She wasn't lying about anything. I saw everything they've done to find me. They're the reason I got out of that underground cave instead of dying when Sam shot me.

That SOB shot me…

Still, I was careful or thought I was. I didn't look to the future, I don't want to go that path again but the past should be safe enough. At least I had thought so until those blinding pains knocked me out.

It had to be her…. That pale, marble statue that passed itself off as a Power.

Would the Lady Nisha come and reprimand me herself?

Why had she let me get out of that underground prison?

What about everyone else?

I'd seen Angel pretty much holed up in the Hyperion, safe because of the wards I'd placed at every entrance and window before the fight with Wolfram & Hart. Having his own personal body guards only added to his frustration but he was lucky Buffy had left them behind. I would laugh at his annoyance for the babysitters but I just don't seem to have that in me.

After the last year why would I?

Choices.

It comes down to that and I have to make another.

Before the Od VaiLumen decide to butt in or call me back for this coming war.

The Boy King.

The demons still want him, they want Sam. More like _need_ him for something big. Something I can't see. Not that I haven't looked because I have. I've seen the life they had, John and Mary, Samuel and Deana. The choices Mary made and why. Keeping John in the dark about her life, what happened to him...

Had I known, had I been given the same choice….

I have my little boy in my arms, our child, his eyes as green as Dean's….

Who knows what we are capable of until the time comes, maybe I would do the same as Mary and worry about the consequences later. I'd follow Mary's example…

"And condemn you."

I can't.

But I did anyway, haven't I.

He'll be a Guardian.

"First thing, Uncle Sam has to repent."

Decision made.

**W**

* * *

_**AN: **THis is only going to include about 3more chapters. Just enought to get me to the next 'season'. lol. Enjoy._


	3. Savior

**Savior **

**_Luc's… _**

Downstairs I found and unexpected face and two very upset yet wary, familiar one's.

"Morning." I greeted the room in general with JD adding his half coherent greeting as well. It seemed to make the guys nervous and I had to fight the urge to snap at them for being stupid.

"You got a baby."

Eye roll and sigh.

What is with them?

I have a child, yes, what is the big deal? It's not like I don't have three others….

"I mean- Faith told me- she called….Hi." Xander finally closed his mouth and waved a hand in greeting.

"Hello Xander. You must be her back up." I turned to Faith with a smirk. "Really?"

She shrugged, her own smirk didn't waver.

"Wasn't going back alone." Faith replied and she sure wasn't. Because Xander was going with her.

I made a choice; I wasn't going back to Los Angeles or the Hyperion, not to my Dad or anyone else because I had nothing to do in Los Angeles.

No.

**LUCS** was my home now, where I was going to raise JD and Bastían would join us here. Guess that spare room won't be so spare now.

I'm going to raise my boys here for as long as I'm able. JD's going to get as much normal as its possible with a Mother who's a Fury and hunts demons in her spare time can be normal.

"Life sucks, amor." I murmured to JD whose green eyes focused on my face listening to every word all of us said. "But it has its moments."

"Hey, guess what?" Garth asked though he didn't wait for an answer. "We've been hearing all sorts of interesting stories."

I kept quiet, didn't bother looking at the loose lipped guests from Los Angeles.

"Phade." Garth said my name looking as though I might deny it was.

The guys were upset and everything Faith and Xander had been telling them just compounded those feelings but I understood them.

"I've known since the attack in _Blue Earth_."

It's what they wanted to know and Faith would've have gotten to the question but I didn't want to wait.

That day was fresh in my mind, as well as Dean's last. Every detail was clear, my fear and the pain- I'd never forget that day. When it had all become a jumble of images in my head and clashing emotions had seemed to tear me apart from the inside.

JD had been my savior, concern for his well being had kept me sane while my two lives reconciled themselves into one coherent line that I could see and understand.

Understand….

I understand that I'm not the only one being punished. I understand why I was put in the second time line and the only way that was possible was if I had died in that one.

I almost died again a couple of times. Thankfully the twins had protected me…

I understood a lot of things now that I had seen and the sooner Faith and Xander left the sooner Sebastían would arrive in _Warren_.

"Dean…"

I knew what Jack was asking.

"I never said."

They looked at each other, Jack and Garth. No peeking inside their heads, unnecessary since the disbelief was on their faces. There was a lot Dean hadn't told me and I was pissed off at him, angry with the older hunters for not telling me.

"You really re-married?" Xander asked looking at me curiously. I felt as though maybe there was an extra appendage on me somewhere. He didn't mean anything by the comment, just really curious, not really believing I had married Dean.

"With a preacher and everything." I replied just a little snidely. "Didn't Garth break out the wedding album?"

Because Garth, for all his preening, Don Juan ways was the more sentimental of the two.

He hadn't told anyone and I only knew because it was constantly on his mind I could _see _it.

Garth had planned to ask Esme… he'd bought her ring- which he still had, tucked away in a lockbox under his bed.

"Jack had a lot of questions." Faith answered. "Didn't give blondie time to get it."

"Heard it was an outside ceremony." Xander added. "With family."

I knew what he was alluding to, that not all my family had been present but at the time I had all the family I knew and needed.

"Let me be clear." I looked at him, more than Faith because with her it wasn't as easy to get my point across, not when she was in her stubborn mind set. "I am not going back, to Los Angeles or the Hyperion. I want no part of them. Sebastían will come here. He's my son and I'll raise him with JD for as long as I'm able-."

"You have to go back." Xander exclaimed.

"Have to?"

The tone of my voice silenced even JD's mumblings. It wasn't my regular voice, nor the mommy voice JD was used to. I'd found myself falling into old habits and I didn't like the 'have to' part of Xander's outburst.

"Valkyrie and Jericho." Faith said. "What about them, Phade. Where are they going? Because they were banished. The kids are norma- regular human kids now. No more fire or flying for either of 'em."

I knew that, just as I knew she was thinking I'd abandon my twins, that I'd let them fend for themselves after all they'd done.

"They'll want to stay with their Father."

I'd seen that too. It was mostly Valkyrie and I couldn't blame her for wanting to know him. Jericho would go as well because they'd never been apart too long in the couple of centuries they'd been alive.

"What about Ryan, Phade?" Faith demanded and I was getting really annoyed at her insistence.

"This isn't the time nor does it mat-."

"There's never time, Phade."

She cut me off.

"You make time and it matters to him, to the twins." Faith exclaimed.

JD shrieked, his little hand coming up…

"No!" I took his hand, brought it down again and got his attention. "Hush, JD."

So far the guys had no clue as to his _other_… ability. Thankfully JD still hadn't learned to just use his thoughts and having him toss Faith around **LUCS** was….

"Ryan's made his choice. I moved on-."

"That's real clear." Xander agreed with a pointed look at JD. "Aren't you still married to Ryan?"

For me it was a simple no. I wasn't some magically reverted seventeen year old drunk and in lust with some hunky man carousing through Las Vegas who woke up naked and married to her bed buddy. This time I was a grown woman, granted there was some issue of mental insanity on my part but _I chose_. Me. Not some younger version of me under a spell or an alternate version of a grown up me… I wanted to be Mrs. Dean Winchester. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him-.

"Not if Gunn did his job."

You know the guys surprised me. They were silent, just listening to all these new revelations which was out of the norm. Usually, Garth being the nosier, would've been bitchin for some explanations. I swear he's like a gossiping girl. Worse even.

"Phade, you were trapped in a cave." Faith slapped a hand on her thigh in exasperation.

"Not for long." I shrugged. Cave or no cave I wasn't changing my mind. I don't care what the Od VaiLumen did to me, how long I was trapped in that timeless void underground. It doesn't matter because I was happy; I was, at least for a little while I was happy. I had people who believed me, who didn't patronize me or doubted what I said. I had Dean…

"They wiped your memory!" Faith yelled.

"They did me a favor!" I snapped back suddenly too angry to measure my words. They didn't know what the hell had happened. They had no right to come at me and start demanding- but almost as soon as the words were out I wanted to take them back. I didn't have to read their expressions to know how those words would sound to them. They just- I was _still_ trying to get used to- I was angry. Angry at Dean and his stupid deal. At Sam for being- for just _being_! At the demons, not being able to save Esme, not being able to save Jared, finding out I was living an alternate time line, JD growing up without a Father, Dean being tortured in hell- Everything!

"What?" Xander whispered, surprised to have heard me say that but they didn't understand. They didn't know.

"That's not how I meant it." but that wasn't going to change what they heard.

"So Ryan hurts you and they all get punished?" Faith questioned glaring at me. "You make yourself a new family and leave the rest of 'em behind like they never existed."

She was furious with me.

But she _didn't know._ None of them knew, not Garth or Jack though they thought they did.

"That's not it."

"That's totally it!" Faith tossed a chair aside in her anger. Had she been the same impetuous girl I had no doubt it would have been me she tossed-.

"No." I grabbed JD's hand again. "Go with Uncle Jack, no tricks you hear me."

He understands, he looks at me the same way the twins did… that should've been my first clue.

Jack too him from me without question. He loved JD and glowing or not that was his godson. That doesn't mean I won't have to answer some questions when he gets me alone.

With JD out of earshot I tried to explain myself, I did.

"I just couldn't go back." I sat on the stool closest to me, hands clasped and in my lap. They couldn't see the turmoil inside my head, my nerves now that everything was coming out, how much I still felt like screaming and crying-. I didn't let anyone see.

"And it's not because of Ryan. That's so far in the past you can label it ancient history."

I wasn't kidding about that.

"But Sebastían… I show up with JD- I'm not sure how I'll explain even now." It was bad enough I'd been gone a year with the twins but this time… Nisha had kept me in the 'dark' almost three years. Bastían isn't some little kid I can talk my way into his life again. Bastían's a teenager, an angry one, and he has every right to be. He's the one getting the short end of the stick each and every time.

"You know, I'm sure if you sit down with them, talk things out, maybe hear Ryan's exp-."

"No." I cut in standing up. "No more, Xander."

"Phade, the broads been on his jock fo-."

"Because Dom's such a reliable source of info." I glared at Faith but she shrugged. Not at all bothered by mention of the big blond Hell'sAngel.

"Don't Xander."

He closed his mouth, looking surprised since I had my back to him.

"Because I know what happened."

"Hearsay doesn't count." Xander said.

I almost laughed.

Hearsay?

Because I'm definitely the type who believes everything people say.

Dean would find that very amusing, were he alive and present…

"No one said a damn thing- you know what?" I moved around the bar glaring. Garth scooted as far down as he could remembering Jack's teleportation. I ignored him.

"You two are going to keep gnawing on this bone, thinking sooner or later it'll get me to Los Angeles and the others."

Annoyed, a little angry as well and reluctant to show them my shame but I did. I pressed my hand on the mirror, a little too hard since it cracked but I fixed that. The breaking glass at Garth's end of the bar didn't cover his squawk of shock.

I watched the images with them, of Ryan with Jessica.

I had lived much too long between that and now. Besides, I'd always known she wanted him. I wouldn't dare call it 'love'. It wasn't anything like we had felt towards each other…

"No one told me."

I sounded tired even to myself as I dropped my hand from the glass.

"I. Saw. Him."

Faith was silent while Xander's face was slightly flushed, more likely a little embarrassed, he was the type.

"You were dead,"

I knew that. Ryan had told me himself but it made no difference. None at all.

"I told them you died. When I took the girl back… it was my idea." Faith confessed.

So that's where it was coming from. Her stubborn insistence and the guilt she was carrying around. Not that Faith wasn't normally assertive or bossy…

"Why?" because I hadn't looked, didn't want to see anything else after that performance. I was ashamed to have been made a fool not once but twice and by someone I had trusted-.

"They took you. Made it sound as though you were a goner. I didn't want to give them any false hopes. PJ I'm real sorry. If I hadn't sai-."

"Stop." She was taking all the blame when it wasn't hers to begin with. We're all free to make our own choices; Ryan just had some help with his.

"It's not important, not anymore." I tried a laugh but it came out wrong. I wasn't capable of real laughter, not yet anyway. "You're wasting energy on all that guilt when I've made peace with it a very long time ago."

"About that…" Xander hesitated. "Umm, how old… because Valkyrie… I mean she…"

"Doesn't behave her age?" I asked amused by his hesitation in asking our ages. "She might look as young as those activated Slayers you care for, Valkyrie certainly tends to behave that young but in reality she's older than you, Xander. Older than you'll ever be in this life time."

I know my daughter well enough to recognize the signs and eventually so will Xander. I just hope Valkyrie realizes that mortals die, their lives are too short and all this will bring her is sadness and pain.

Garth was gaping at us. He was having difficulty taking all this in and wrapping his mind around what I was because I'm guessing a Slayer is easier to understand.

"Hey," I taped the bar top with my palm. "I'm still that girl Esme introduce to you guys. Well, not _exactly_ the same but its real. I remember everything."

I hoped he would as well, that he'd think of that letter last Christmas asking that I be careful so he could have someone to argue with.

"Right. Yeah- I know." Garth's blond head bounded. "I'm just-. Its- something you slowly get used to…"

"I promise not to physically maim or impair either of you. How's that?" I asked deadpan. Garth paled considerably, his eyes bugging out. I should've known it was too soon to mess with him. "I'm teasing."

Garth nodded but he was still guarded.

"Yeah, I know." He mumbled.

"You really won't come back?" Xander seemed to be getting it through his head.

"For now my life is here."

"This…Phade, you're- he's dead, right?" Faith asked. "The new kid's Dad, he's gone-."

"Dean."

Again, falling into old habits and the Fury was rising.

"His name is Dean."

She was quiet, her cheeks flushed.

"And I have no regrets."

Not a one.

Even though Dean lied to me, countless times.

_'It's not a lie, baby… I just… didn't say anything.'_

The distinction, warped as it may be, made sense when it came to Dean. A lie of omission wasn't a lie so long as he was doing the omitting.

I could almost pretend it was him, his voice whispering in my ear as he'd done before, the slight drawl- exactly like him, Dean… his voice.

I sent another prayer, not that I was big on it but Pastor Jim certainly took this seriously.

I wanted to believe that our prayers would alleviate some of his suffering. I didn't want to dwell on what that might be, to think of all the demons that hated them, him and John…

At first I prayed a lot. Pretty much the whole day. I'd put all my energy into it, trying to feel it make a difference… but the lack of response was discouraging. Then again how could I expect some sort of answer?

Truth was I thought I would feel something…

"Lies of omission."

**_The Hyperion…_**

"Not part of the plan, Jericho?" Valkyrie glared at her brother standing with crossed arms looking out the window of their Mother's old suite at the Hyperion. In six months they were no closer to getting back to being normal. _Their _normal.

"Patience." Jericho replied in a bored tone of voice. "It's a virtue, sis." He was slowly growing more annoyed by his twin's reminders of how their current state was his entire fault. He was willing to take partial blame because he'd done his part in finding their Mother. But Jericho wasn't the only one disobeying the Goddess.

"Children." Sebastían mocked as he exited his bedroom. "Do I have to put you in separate rooms?"

Because corners?

Yeah, that wouldn't work at their age. Sebastían noted the gloom and doom on the twins faces and grew annoyed.

"Ha-ha, glad we amuse you with our current predicament." Valkyrie snapped, crossing her arms and sinking into the couch.

"You don't, it's not funny." Sebastían assured but the twins weren't mollified in the least. "I wish I could do something for yo-."

"You can't." Jericho cut in. "Willow hasn't been able to break the bindings-."

"At least we know that much." Sebastían argued.

"That also means the runes wont work on us." Jericho retorted, not that Bastían hadn't known because he'd been the one to try.

"We are royally screwed." Valkyrie sighed from her position. Sebastían glared at her.

"Completely." Jericho agreed turning his attention back to the window and the world outside he was now forced to be a part of. Gone were their uniforms, replaced by regular human clothing… neither twin was happy to be less than what they had been born.

"Because you're just human?" Sebastían demanded glaring at each of his siblings.

"Ding, ding! Give the eldest a point." Valkyrie mocked with a half assed clap for props.

"Brilliant." Jericho muttered.

Sebastían couldn't believe the surly attitudes the twins were exhibiting. After all the trouble his grandfather, Angel and Ryan had gone through to get the twins situated- they even had their own two bedroom suite down the hall! But were they grateful?

Hell no!

And Bastían could remember what it was like, what his Mother had gone through to make sure they had a bed to sleep in and the look on her face when she couldn't provide one for him.

The twins had it easy by comparison.

"You suck."

The twins turned to Sebastían, matching frowns on their faces.

"Yeah, suck. S-U-C-K. You two." He pointed at each in turn, his anger visible.

"He can spell." Valkyrie noted, her frown still in place but at least she was sitting in a sulk with her arms crossed.

"At least he's constant." Jericho agreed. "His opinion of us hasn't changed. Much."

"It has." Sebastían disagreed. Because in the past two years he'd seen the twins in their element, had seen how much they cared for his Mom- their Mom, too- and realized the twins weren't at fault for their Mom leaving him behind. It wasn't as though he were like them, fire and air, super strength and speed with healing powers…

"You can't be hers." Sebastían shook his head. He just couldn't see it.

"Well, we are!" Valkyrie turned around on the couch, glaring at him.

"You're not." Sebastían repeated slapping his hands on the back of the couch. "You couldn't because Mom wouldn't raise a pair of whiners like you two. She wouldn't let her kids turn into spoiled, selfish, sno-."

"Selfish?" Jericho glared dropping his crossed arms and moving toward the living room.

"I am not spoiled!" Valkyrie denied affronted by the label and standing.

"SHUT UP." Sebastían cut into their protesting voices, once again grabbing their attention.

"Did you-?" Valkyrie turned from Jericho to glare at Bastían.

"Quiet." Sebastían snapped, glad to have their attention. "Now that you're pissed, focus on the stuff you can do."

The twins straightened, arms coming up and crossing over their chest in unison. Bastían had grown used to their weirdness, like finishing each others sentences with seemed to annoy Valkyrie.

"There's a whole lot going on outside and Angel can only do so much now that Wolfram & Hart has a permanent 'dust on sight' order on him. You want to feel useful? Pick up the slack around here." Sebastían ordered. "Just because you don't have powers doesn't mean you're useless." He turned heading towards the door and his training session with Nereidá. "Maybe helpless if you get careless."

But that's what AI was there for.

To help the helpless.

**_Luc's…_**

"Sam."

Faith clomped down the stairs behind me and into the fairly empty bar. It was getting to be that time, closing time and I was looking forward to it. In the morning I was going to send them on their way, back to the Hyperion. Two days was more than enough for a visit.

"I hear he's evil or part demon- he's the bad guy in all this." Faith finished with a slight huff of breath. She wasn't sure what the hell was what around here, especially when Jack and Garth tried telling her about demons, as in possessed humans being demons. That wasn't exactly Angel or Buffy's cup of tea. They tended to deal more with the obvious evil and demons, where Hunters dealt with the occult and demon possession, not that Willow hadn't done her share of the witchy slaying.

"Because you've only heard Jack and Garth's side." I answered taking a load of empties towards the back room. Faith grabbed another load and followed, lending a hand without being told.

I like that.

And why was I suddenly defending Sam? Nothing had changed, Dean was still dead, Sam was alive and off with Ruby- oh yea, I know he's with her and what they're doing I can only imagine- or rather I don't want to.

"Tell me your version." Faith set her load beside mine.

I looked around; the empties all stacked on one side, box after box. The smell of stale beer, our rustic looking building with exposed beams all darkened with age…

I liked it here.

I'd liked it from the very first time I set foot on the property and it hadn't looked this good back then. We'd done a lot since buying **LUCS**, added the second floor, expanded on the existing building, remodeled the bar- it would have been much easier with Tane or another of the Earth Fury's to help with all the wood. Still, this is home.

"My version isn't without prejudice." I replied sighing.

I told her about meeting the Winchester's.

"John was the first person who acknowledged I wasn't a lunatic."

That got a smile from her. I guess Faith knew how that felt, she'd been an outcast most of her life, growing up with abuse and then becoming The Slayer only to find out she wasn't the only one…

"Then they showed up at the Hyperion."

Faith was more amused by Dean's cold shower though I have to say it brought a smile to my face as well. The haunting she had trouble with and I can't blame her; my reaction had been almost the same.

"After I came back from Hë'lîa to help Angel I got 'spanked' so to speak, for dusting that platinum freak."

"Heard about that." Faith nodded, dropping her eyes to the floor and her scuffed boots. "He wasn't that bad."

"Right." I shook my head still a little pissed I was punished over _that_. I mean, no one said anything about _it_ being a Champion for the Powers That Be.

"We'll disagree on that issue." I started walking towards the bar again with Faith at my side. She didn't say anything else as I told her about 'bumping' into the Winchester's though she let out a burst of giggles- though giggles isn't exactly right- when I got to the camping incident and Barrabas' snarling dash after the brothers. I almost laughed myself.

All that wasted time… I could've had more time with Dean had I just listened. Sucks not to know the future and it sucks knowing it because you can't do a damn thing to change it. Either way we were screwed, that's how the Powers planned it. I don't think I could've come up with a better punishment.

"You did an about face." Faith noted with a shrug. She meant my sudden amnesia and harsh attitude towards Sam. I knew that was the reason Dean had doggedly insisted on finding out what was wrong with me. "No wonder the guys got curious enough to follow up. Personally I wouldn't have chased after your ass so long, but that's just me." she smirked.

"He probably wouldn't have either, except Dean was..."

What? What exactly had he been thinking to chase after crazy version of me? Aside from the change of attitude. He'd had plenty of opportunity to just say screw it and bounce, let me hang myself…. Can't say I didn't deserve that. I hadn't been very nice to either of them.

"Dude saw pretty packaging, had to dip into it." Faith shrugged off my startled expression. "What, it's a guy thing."

Yes, I guess so but she was just so nonchalant about it I was wondering if Faith had changed in that regard. Hadn't things worked out… with Dom?

"Is Dom still in the picture?" I asked totally off subject.

"Not for a while." Faith replied flicking a lock of hair over her shoulder. "Long distance isn't my thing."

"No… guess not." I murmured. Still, Dom wouldn't have been able to handle Faith, he wasn't the type to deal with emotions all that well- hell, he didn't deal with them at all if he could avoid it. So I guess their relationship had been pretty much as Faith had been used to.

"You dating anyone?" I asked partly curious but also trying to change the subject.

"Not since Wood and don't change the subject." Faith replied with an arched eyebrow.

"Wood?" I echoed. "As in _Principal_ of Sunnydale High, _Wood_?"

"Yup."

The girl was incredible!

"What?" Faith frowned.

"You're just… I don't know." I really didn't. I mean wasn't he a little… on the old_er_ side for her?

"Hey, cool contacts." Garth's voice had that creeped out tone but it was the gentle sort of itch between my shoulder blades that made me turn around. "Can you see through those blacked out-."

"We want him."

Demon.

There was a demon inside **LUCS**.

Jack took the hose from the tap and started spraying. It was a good thing we laced all the taps with holy water, not too much the beer was watered down but it certainly stung the demons. This one started screaming right away alerting the three other demons already in the bar. They spread out, not close enough I could get them all at once.

"What the hell is going on?" Faith demanded while customers dropped their beers and started heading out the door. That was after I started yelling for them to get out because they stood around looking confused. Others glanced horrified at the drinks in their hands.

There weren't some of our customers, thinking we were poisoning them….

There weren't many customers and only a couple regulars. I was lucky there was another hunter in the crowd because he grabbed the demon close to his table and started wailing on it.

"Demons." I grabbed Faith's arm and shoved her towards the stairs. "Get to JD and keep him safe."

She looked at me wide eyed for a second and then the Slayer kicked in. I didn't worry anymore as I turned to the bar. Garth had his shot gun out. He leapt over the bar and smacked the demon Jack had sprayed.

"Catch!" Jack tossed one of the vials towards me. I caught it still moving into the bar and coated both hands with the oil. It was a lot, too much but that meant there would be plenty left over after the first demon got a taste.

The Devil'sTrap's I'd oil painted on the ceiling hadn't caught a demon, not until I grabbed the one at the bar and shoved it into the nearest one.

"Get them in the traps." I ordered glancing at Garth. "There, table 3 and 4." I pointed at the aisle to his right. It was the closest and largest I was able to paint. There were others painted in front of the bar but Garth been standing just too much left one…

More came in. The last customer, a man- he stumbled to a halt just at our entrance. He was pudgy drunk who tended to get a little too friendly but when he turned around his usual slack jawed expression was gone.

"Give him to us." He smiled, head tilting as if studying me.

"Demons-." Xander skidded to a stop just out of the arch leading to the stairs. "Faith said there were demons…" he looked around the bar, at the guys reciting by memory and the three demons writhing in their Devil'sTraps.

"Get out." I ordered moving towards the demon. It flicked a hand at me and I felt the wave go through me. I recognized the energy but it wasn't strong enough to move me. It did, however, move Xander. While I grabbed the demon by the throat and lifted it from the floor, Xander thudded into the wall with a surprised curse.

"Why?" I demanded glaring at the demon. "Why do you want him?" but it didn't answer, just kept smiling.

"Here!" I heard Jack. "Spray anything that moves!" apparently Xander was up and being put to use but the demon in my hand lost its shit eating grin when he felt the heat.

"I can kill you." It believed me too. "Why?" I asked for the last time but this one chose to try and leave.

This isn't new, not something I just learned, all Fury's can kill the demons in this way, those with a Fire element at least.

The black smoke shot out of the pudgy drunk's mouth. I reached towards it, curled my fingers around the filmy threads ignoring the gross cold-wetness of the demon and yanked it back. Yanked it away from the human and held it, writhing and twisting to get free. It struggled frantically when the heat began to turn it red, more panicked when the flames danced up my arm and engulfed the smoky mass. There was a high pitched sound and then the smoke burst, as though it had been a long strand of cotton candy blown apart by a harsh blast of air. The chunks that fell on the floor quickly disintegrated, the same way cotton candy does when it melts on your tongue. A second later there was nothing left.

I remember doing this before, not exactly like this but almost. In Los Angeles, when that possessed idiot had tried to take me. When I'd freaked and asked Sam to find me…

"Hey!"

Xander's yell drew my attention and turning I saw him drop the tap hose and go after the two demons heading up the stairs.

Having only one eye is a major draw back.

A third grabbed him from his blind side, knocked him down but before it could kick Xander I yanked on it, tossing it into the Devil'sTraps set in front of the bar.

"Up." I ordered reaching down for his hand. He was on his feet before he realized it and fumbling not to drop the book I pressed into his chest. "Page 78, read it."

I ran up the stairs, hearing the faint sound of a scuffle in the hallway.

"I don't want to hurt you!"

Faith.

**w**

She could hear them, the cries for help-. She didn't want to hurt them. She didn't need anymore blood on her hands.

The man knocked her down; Faith could taste the copper on her tongue and knew her lip was busted.

_'Lucky hit.'_

She looked up, her leg knocking him away and then his chest was a bloody mess. A closed fist dripped guts, gore and blood onto the hardwood floor before the man lit up. Faith scrambled to her feet, tried to get away from the scorching heat. The man crumbled to pieces, embers littered the hallway but Faith couldn't take her eyes from Phade.

"They aren't regular people." She said, her brown eyes glowing. "These are demons." She brushed past Faith, after the second demon.

"JD." Faith sucked in a breath and forced herself to move.

"Where!" Phade's scream mixed with the pits snarled barking. She kicked the woman-.

_'Demon. It's a demon. It's not a woman anymore.'_ Faith told herself though her eyes kept seeing the woman Phade was beating up. She tossed the demon around, kicked it and yelled-.

"Phade, sto-." Faith sucked in a breath as a stream of black smoke spewed out of the woman.

"No!" Phade lunged forward, her fingers curling around the end of it. Faith was surprised to see her yank it back, to actually grab at smoke and be able to hold it.

"Die." Phade snarled while the smoke writhed, turning a burnt red color before it shattered. The pieces fell around the lifeless body of the woman it had possessed. The left over embers melted away leaving no evidence.

"I asked you," Phade slowly rose to her feet. The dog whined, slinking away from Phade with its tail tucked and looking as though he'd been yelled at. "Not to let them _near_ JD-."

"JD!" Faith exclaimed completely ignoring Phade and rushing out of the room.

"FAITH!" Phade rushed after the dark Slayer, going across the hall into the spare room.

"Damn," Faith let out a relieved breath carefully standing up. "You're a smart kid aint you?" she wondered holding JD in her arms and looking awkward. Barrabas yipped brushing past Phade and bumping Faith's legs. His nose sniffed at JD's bare feet making him giggle as he pulled them up and away from the wet snout.

Phade stood rooted in the doorway, the hole in her chest at the thought of having lost JD-.

"Stashed him in the closet."

Phade dashed forward, JD's little arms reached for her, smiling and calling out; "Má!" like a broken record.

**w**

Relief.

That's the first thing I felt seeing JD safely in Faith's arms. Then the realization of what could've happened washed over me again and I just held him to me. I tried not to squish him too much or let the tears of relief spill. JD didn't like to see me cry. Ha. My laugh came out sort of like a hiccup, I just couldn't-.

"So," Faith shifted from foot to foot. "This a regular day in _Warren_?"

A regular day?

A regular day had consisted of waking up next to Dean. A regular day was getting ready for a busy night at **LUCS**. A regular day had been spending time with JD, reading, playing or setting him down for a nap. Those had been our regular days…

Now I had demons. Now I had to wake up alone, had to care for JD alone, had to, had to, had to…

No, this wasn't a 'regular day'.

Not by my standards.

"No." I answered turning around and heading downstairs, hoping the guys would still have at least one demon I could torture some answers out of. At the very least I'd get to torture…

"Yo!" Faith skipped down the stairs behind me, Barrabas had bounded ahead of us and was sniffing around the bodies. Her eyes went straight to Jack and Xander who were bent over a man. He'd been possessed and somehow was still alive.

"You're lucky to be alive." Jack said but I wouldn't agree with him. He was still wishing his sister was alive though he'd pretty much told himself she was dead. At least for him because Jack couldn't let himself say it out loud.

Me?

No, that man was not a lucky guy. The things the demons did, made them do, those were things no person should have to experience or see, let alone live through.

Ana's face swam before my eyes, her pleas for help, the wrenching tears for the children the demon possessing her had killed… her whole life had been snuffed out. Gone. It was just gone. Ana hadn't been able to live with that… But she didn't have to, thanks to me.

(That's disgust you hear in my words.)

"Why did they come here?" I demanded. The man was bleeding, his face was cut and there were more wounds over his chest, the t-shirt was soaking up the blood. He didn't look as though he'd live through this, not without some 'help'. "The demons. Why?"

He tried to focus on my face but he was in pain, it was there in the lines of his face and I felt it, felt where all his pain was centered.

Memories. Images of the things he'd done…

"Rub-. Ruby-."

Garth dropped the phone he was using to call the ambulance and ran to the little group we'd formed around the man.

"She's alive?" he breathed sounding suddenly hopeful. I looked at him sharply. This wasn't what I wanted to hear, not from either of them, not regarding the bitch who was wearing my friend.

"Not for long." I promised.

**w**

The ambulance came too late for him and he hadn't said anything else, nothing useful or even coherent. His mind had been wrecked as well, too much horror for him to take.

"You think she's using Sam to get the demons behind her?" Jack asked sounding once more like the competent man we trusted to run **LUCS**.

"Are we sure he's not evil?" Garth asked looking at me.

"You know, because… he was dead, J." Jack elucidated more for the benefit of Faith and Xander who stood quietly taking everything in. "No one's sure he didn't come back the same. Not even Dean."

I knew that.

"If he's evil, we kill him." Faith said much too simply.

"It's not that easy." I snapped. It just wasn't, not for me, because Dean had died for the Boy King, died to protect his little brother just as he'd been trained to do since he was four years old…

"Evil, he dies. Not evil, he lives." Xander shrugged. "Pretty easy."

"No-." Again, why do I keep defending him to them? "He didn't loose his soul." I said and both knew I meant Angel. "He's not possessed." Which is probably not a good thing to point out. "He's just a man-."

"Who got killed and three days later Dean makes a deal and gets baby brother back." Jack cut in.

"Only he doesn't get the standard ten years like every other shmuck, which totally sucks for you. Instead it's just the one year and no guarantee Sammy is Sammy." Garth finished. I didn't get a chance to say anything what with the questions Xander and Faith started asking.

"Deal?"

"Three days?"

"Why not use a spell?"

"Yeah, like they did for Buffy?"

Why?

I looked at Garth and Jack, both guys were looking at them curiously but I knew they'd ask the same thing. Why didn't I use a spell?

Why hadn't I saved Dean?

"Not everyone has a witch on hand to bring back their loved ones from the grave." But in reality it _was_ my fault. I'd let all of this happen. All I'd had to do was take a peek, tap into the time stream and look back, there wasn't any harm in that but I'd wanted to stay with Dean, I didn't want things to change, I didn't want to have to leave… and I lost him.

I was just as guilty…

"Jaden," Jack leaned on the bar, his face too close to ignore. "I know you don't want to do this. You think Dean's sacrifice would be for nothing but he wouldn't want the alternative."

How would he know? A few weeks with Dean suddenly made Jack an expert on what Dean would want or wouldn't?

"You gotta do it, J." Garth added quietly.

"That's your girlfriend I'm hunting." I reminded him. I was getting angry. Because they were right, they knew it and so did I.

"Who just sent demons to kill us!" he exclaimed, face flushing.

He was upset, angry Ruby was still walking around-.

"And my Godson." Jack added softly.

We stared at each other, JD sitting between us on the bar.

"Are we doing this bitch or what?" Faith demanded once more restless to get moving.

I took a deep breath and let it out sighing.

"Yeah," I nodded. "_We_ are."

"Hey, wai-." Xander straightened protesting.

"Garth and Jack can handle **LUCS**, they can watch JD." I cut in. "Another group like this- or any demon, for that matter _won't_ be getting in here." I promised looking at the guys.

"What, you're going to put a force field on our doors?" Garth snickered with a laugh.

"The point is to keep the demons out of **LUCS** not customers." I replied dryly while ignoring his _Star Wars_ reference. Leaving JD with Jack I walked to the closest window and set both palms on the cold glass. If the Powers didn't know were I was after the demons I killed then they certainly would know once I was done protecting **LUCS** and everyone in it.

"Whoa." Faith murmured but I kept my eyes closed and concentrated on the building. Every window, every door, even the archways would have a shield, strong one's that would repel anything evil and if it insisted would incinerate them.

"I felt that." Garth muttered looking around.

"Nothing gets in." I said turning away from the window.

"You were glowing again." Jack spoke softly, his eyes wide though he wasn't afraid, not anymore.

"Xander,"

"You're benching me." he answered with a droop in his shoulders.

"Actually, I need you to keep an eye on them. I'm going to need you to help them keep JD safe until I fix this." I said.

"What, you think we can't?" Garth demanded suddenly. He was glaring at me.

"You're not a Slayer." I said.

"I don't think she means the band." Jack quipped amused by Garth's red face.

"One eye." Xander said pointing at his patch. "But I do have friends in high places and plenty of Slayers on call." He smiled and leaned down to pat Barrabas who'd been sitting by his side the entire time.

**w**

"I printed this out for you two." I handed Faith and Xander a sheet of paper which JD tried to grab from my hand. "Memorize it." I ordered turning so JD was out of reach. "You loose the sheet, it's your ass and I will be royally pissed." I assured.

"Where are you two going?" Xander asked looking up from his prayer sheet.

"Hunting." I gave JD another hug, ran my fingers through his silky hair and breathed in the clean baby scent. "I'm coming home, kiddo. Be good and wait for me, alright." I murmured into his head before pressing a kiss on the sandy blond mess I'd made of his hair.

"Má." Two little hands patted my cheeks and then I had a slobbery kiss smacked onto my mouth which made me laugh.

"Come 'ere, little monster." Jack chuckled taking him from my arms.

"Ino!" JD squealed as Jack lightly tossed him up.

"Bobby called." Garth said coming up beside Jack. "He gave me co-ordinates. He'll be waiting."

"Don't let any of them near my son." I took the sheet of paper he handed me.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Jack answered. I nodded once and headed to the door with Barrabas at my heels.

"No." I stopped turning and pointed back. "No, Barrabas. Stay. You stay. Guard." I ordered dropping to my knee and turning his face so he would see the guys and JD. "Guard." I repeated. He gave a bark and bounded to their side where he sat obediently. He reminded me of Roque, the way his tail wagged frantically so that his butt swept the ground…

"So how are we getting to this meeting?" Faith asked following me out of **LUCS**. She carried a small duffel, Jack had already put mine in the trunk.

"Like this." I yanked on the metal rings stepping out of the way as the wooden doors swung open. I didn't wait, just stepped between the swinging doors and around my Mustang to pop the trunk.

"Damn!" Faith exclaimed. "You've had it all this time?"

"It is my car." I reminded her, smiling.

"Ryan was going nuts cus he thought someone jacked it." Faith explained coming around the fender and tossing in her bag.

"Huh. Well," I closed the trunk and walked back to the driver's side. "It got shot full of holes." I shrugged wondering if that little bit of news made any difference.

"Whoa, when'd that happen?" Faith asked as we slid in.

"Last year." I answered realizing I sounded very blasé about the whole thing.

"Glad you weren't in it, huh?" Faith said. I turned to her in the darkened car.

"I was in it." I replied watching by the fading moonlight the change in her expression. "Ended up in the hospital and Dean giving me the bad news I'd lost Roque."

I tried no to think- to remember how I'd felt then because I didn't want to feel that way again. Not now.

"You had another guy?" Faith exclaimed.

I huffed an amused breath because really, only Faith would lock onto that bit of information.

"Powers That Be give a new personality or what?" she demanded still looking at me with incredulous eyes.

"Roque was my dog." I said then turned on the mustang. It gave its purr and I couldn't help my smile of satisfaction at the sound. "Barrabas is from the only litter Roque sired. Dean brought him home for me before JD was born. Barr almost looks like Roque." I mused pulling out of the 'garage'.

"Anyone else would feel all kinds of stupid." Faith breathed shaking her head. "But me?"

"You're you, Faith." I replied glancing at her as we turned onto the highway. "Makes total sense."

Faith looked at me and laughed.

**W**


	4. Rage

**Rage**

**_The Hyperion…_**

"Ok, I think this time will work." Willow's smile was nervous as she entered the suite.

"You said that the last five times." Valkyrie reminded with raised brow.

"No, she said she was pretty sure the last five times." Jericho corrected dryly.

"Hey," Willow protested wearing a slight frown. "I'm trying here."

"They're just being brats." Sebastían assured from his place at the kitchen arch.

"You'd think they were a little old for that." Nereidá commented at his side.

"Can we just get on with this?" Valkyrie demanded. She glowered at Bastían feeling anxious, hopeful and readying herself for disappointment.

"We have _big_ plans for today." Jericho added stepping towards Willow.

"Sulking, whining, oh and more sulking." Sebastían snarked.

"They fight, too." Nereidá reminded him.

"I can't believe Mom lets them hit each other." Sebastían shook his head turning away from the twins and Willow. "I mean she's real big on the 'don't hit girls' rule. As in _ever_."

"She gives as good as she gets." Nereidá noted turning towards the twins who were watching with crossed arms and annoyed expressions. "You think he holds back?"

"He doesn't look wimpy." Sebastían said turning to stare at his brother.

"Are you having fun?" Jericho asked with a soft growl in his voice.

"_We_ have an important task here." Valkyrie pointed at themselves.

"Getting back our powers." Jericho added.

"Yeah, yeah." Sebastían waved their comments aside. "Don't get your panties in a knot." At his side Nereidá lowered her face to hide the smile.

Willow cleared her throat loudly calling their attention once again.

"Here goes…."

Willow's eyes closed as she breathed a long sigh. She started glowing almost immediately, her red hair lightening to cherry blond as a light breeze scented with spring wafted around her. The twins waited tensed, eyes focused on her, watching her hair turn a shimmery white. Just as quickly the wind died down, the spring scent evaporated and Willow drew in a deep breath. Her eyes opened, lips lifted in a half smile while her hair slowly darkened to its original red shade.

"So…" Sebastían looked to his siblings curiously.

The twins clenched their hands, making fists and frowned. Valkyrie looked to Jericho, her eyes questioning whether he felt any different but he shook his head.

"Maveyo!" Valkyrie slammed her fists onto the couch echoed. Her reaction was echoed by Jericho with the only difference being the object taking the blow as he put a fist in the wall. Sebastían glared because the cracked wall would end up being his to fix since the twins were getting a lot of sympathy from his grandfather.

"Darn." Willow sighed sounding a little frustrated but looking mostly disappointed.

"Well, nice try, Willow." Sebastían said which only drew the twin's glares.

"Nice try?" they said in unison. Seeing the looks on their faces Sebastían's brow furrowed with confusion.

"Thank you?" he questioned with a slight shrug faking innocence. At that Valkyrie took a menacing step towards him which Sebastían didn't ignore. He quickly moved behind Nereidá putting the petite Slayer between him and his sister.

"Hey, jus cus Jericho hits back doesn't mean I will, too." Sebastían warned standing a foot taller than Nereidá. Worry drew his brow because his sister was just as fragile as any human girl even if she did know how to fight. Hurting her would _not_ please his Mom.

"Calm down, Valkyrie." Nereidá sighed dropping her crossed arms.

"You stay out of it." Valkyrie snapped dropping her glare to The Slayer.

"Valkyrie-." Jericho's attention focused on the bright glow forming at the opposite end of the living room.

"Visitors!" Sebastían jabbed a finger towards them, glad to have an excuse to avoid any fights with Valkyrie. She reminded him more and more of his Mom which wouldn't be so bad if Valkyrie were tempered by a Mother's love. Unfortunately Valkyrie was just his sister and Sebastían was finding out having siblings wasn't as cool as he'd thought.

"Riel?" Jericho looked surprised to see the Guardian.

"Anysia!" Valkyrie exclaimed seeing the red leather clad Fury appear at Riel's side.

"Aquilles sends greetings." Riel's mouth twisted up in a slight smirk. Nereidá straightened imperceptively, her eyes roaming over the Guardian.

"We've come to restore you." Anysia said moving towards the twins.

"But I've already tried." Willow protested sounding just a bit whiny.

"You're ways are not effective." Anysia said barely glancing at Willow.

"You cannot give what they already possess." Riel added moving to stand before Jericho.

"What do you mean?" he asked, brow furrowed while he could feel Valkyrie's anxious excitement though she tried to stanch it.

"The Od VaiLumen only bound your elements." Riel answered, his smirk becoming obvious.

"They can not take what has been given by The Light." Anysia added.

"Once you choose this path you are of The Light and only death will release you." Riel explained for the benefit of the others.

"So I'm still a Fury?" Valkyrie asked.

"I'm still a Guardian?" Jericho asked.

"Do you think they're all this pretty?" Willow asked softly while she studied the new arrivals. Her eyes wandered over Anysia, marveling at the bounce and shine of her dark hair. Her dark eyes were framed by long lashes, her nose slightly upturned at the end…. She wasn't exactly pretty but beautiful didn't even qualify as a word to describe the slim figured Fury.

"Uh-huh." Nereidá absently nodded, too busy admiring the brown-almost blond hair with copper highlights of the Guardian. She was half in love with his tri-colored eyes, blue-gray with hints of green. "He's way pretty…."

Jericho's features drew into a scowl hearing Nereidá's soft voiced comments. She'd practically sighed the same thing into his ear-. Actually, Jericho had no right to feel…jealous. He'd been the one to end their brief 'fling' while he was still a Guardian. Having been 'shunned' so to speak by the Od VaiLumen and being made 'mortal' as punishment had been his excuse to rekindle their relationship. He'd been surprised by Nereidá's refusal and she was adamant that nothing would make her repeat the same mistake she'd made with him.

"So how are the twins supposed to get their 'godliness' again?" Sebastían asked making air quotes, much to Valkyrie's annoyance.

**_La Cross, Wisconsin…_**

Bobby was already there. He stood reclined on his car. An old '69 Pontiac GTO model, rusted yellow paint, some of it chipped off in places. How long he'd been waiting I couldn't be sure but he couldn't have _just _arrived.

"There a reason we're meeting on the side of the road?" Faith asked.

I'd assumed she was asleep, even breathing and closed eyes usually mean sleep.

"Because it's on the way."

We were heading to _Blue Earth_. Pastor Jim had news, something important to say, something he didn't want to put in an e-mail or talk about over the phone. I was getting that antsy feeling. The I-don't-like-this sort of feeling which usually meant something bad was coming.

Story of my life.

Something bad is always coming.

"Who's the blond?" Faith asked slightly jutting her chin. It ended up with a jaw cracking yawn. The contagious type but I resisted the urge to follow her example.

"That would be Jo."

I wondered what she was doing with Bobby. Maybe she was just dropping in to visit her Mom but _Blue Earth_ wasn't one of her favorite places thanks to me. Well not just me but Dean wasn't around and JD was a reminder of what we'd had.

"Hunter?"

I nodded because really, the girl was- sort of. She came from a hunter family so it was there, in her blood but was _she_ a real hunter? That was entirely up to Jo.

I parked facing Bobby and got out before Faith could ask more questions. Not that she was as annoying as a five year old constantly asking 'why'. Of course she'd had questions for me during the ride here, questions that had stopped barely an hour before. The reason I had thought she was asleep.

Explaining how hunters worked and what they faced wasn't that different from slaying except for the ghost and rock salt and iron or the fact the vampires were different- well there were plenty of small differences. I figured Faith just needed some time to process all of it.

"Jaden." Bobby greeted with a warm smile. I hugged him wondering why it was he felt…uncomfortable. He was always at ease around me even back when I first got to his place to check up on the Mustang. It was funny because he would side with me anytime Dean and I had an argument going. He'd do it just to annoy Dean because most of those arguments I was in the wrong.

"Have you been waiting long?" I stepped out of his arms having to look up. That's my curse, being short.

"Not long." He denied. His gaze went to Faith who'd managed to come up behind me with barely a sound. The passenger door of the Pontiac opened and Jo stepped out, her eyes flicking between us. I nodded a greeting then started with introductions.

"This if Faith."

She did this half assed wave/salute I'm guessing is a new thing of hers.

"Bobby and Jo." Not that Faith was slow or anything.

"Hello." Bobby eyed me again. His silent question was obvious, I'm sure Faith noticed.

"She knows."

That brought the questioning look to Bobby's face I was familiar with. He used to look at Dean that way a lot-.

"Pastor Jim's got something terribly important to say. You wouldn't happen to know what, would you, Bobby?"

"Well,"

He did.

I didn't have to look in his head to know that because his hesitation was enough confirmation. What ever it was Pastor Jim had to say was making Bobby uncomfortable around me.

"What?"

I didn't mean to snap. It wasn't supposed to sound threatening but Faith recognized the tone and stiffened at my side.

"Bobby…"

"Why don't you let Jim tell you himself, Jaden?"

Why?

Gee maybe it was the long ass road trip I would have to undertake in order to hear it when Bobby could tell me just as well right fucking now.

That was why.

Only Bobby didn't want to talk, his eyes flicked to Faith and she was part of his reason but mostly he was worried about my reaction.

That made me curious.

"Tell me now."

"PJ…" Faith took my arm, her grip strong.

"Bar-b-q."

Faith knew exactly what I meant, felt the heat in my body rise but the shimmering glow of my eyes was more than enough warning she should let go.

"It's Sam." Jo said from the other side of the car. I turned towards her, both of us ignoring Bobby's protest.

**_Blue Earth, Minnesota…. _**

"No one thought to pick up a phone and warn me?" I demanded pacing the length of Pastor Jim's living room. They were lucky I hadn't gone off on my own.

"We only found out a few days ago." Pastor Jim said as though that somehow made it ok.

"My son was attacked!"

I shouldn't have yelled at him. He's a man of the cloth; I should've shown some respect-.

Mine.

The only link to Dean I had left in this world.

And they were protecting _Sam_…

"Jaden-."

"Where is he?" I really didn't give a shit what Ellen had to say at the moment. All I wanted was Sam's head on a damn pike!

It was time I finished this, time I tied up the loosed ends before the demons got to JD. I had to make them fear me, enough they'd think long and hard before trying this krap again.

"You can't-."

"I damn well can!" I snapped at Bobby. They couldn't stop me. They might have their suspicions, from the attack and what Ellen saw me do with the stone. Sam wasn't likely to tell them about LA but Dean… he might have confided some in Bobby but I hadn't looked down that way.

"It's not his fault." Pastor Jim protested.

"Not his fault." I echoed rather softly. Faith was shifting uncomfortably; her eyes didn't stray from me. "Not. His- this is all because of _him_! Everything-its _Sam_. John, Dean-no. No! I am not going to let JD be his next victim."

He wasn't taking my son.

"PJ." Faith stood in my way, confused but determined. She wasn't sure what to believe but I would've assumed she'd get on my side.

"Get out of my way."

"Phade-. What? You're gonna go on a rampage?"

That wasn't a bad idea. Kill Sam, then Ruby, then as many demons as I could find. Yup, that sounded like a great plan. Who knew Faith would give me a plan of action?

"He's tried." Ellen said at my back.

"The demons don't believe him. Or Ruby." Bobby added with a slight note of disgruntlement.

"Those Hunters- Gordon… its no secret what he thought of Sam." Pastor Jim again, with a lame excuse.

"The demons believe Sam is JD's Father." Jo said not for the first time. It didn't change how I felt.

Anger.

That's all I'd been feeling since Jo had said that four hours ago.

"JD doesn't resemble Sam but it doesn't matter." Pastor Jim said.

Why couldn't Sam just leave us alone?

Why did he keep hurting the people around him?

First John, then his girl friend… Dean- and now he was after JD?

I shouldn't have bee surprised. Hadn't Gordon tried to kill me because he thought I was with the Boy King?

He'd said I was carrying a demon inside of me, called JD an anti-Christ-.

"Either you move on your own, or I move you, Faith. I won't ask a third time."

"Just think about this, Phade." She thought I was going off the deep end. "What are you gonna do?"

"Rampage." Simple. To the point. "Starting with Sam and when I'm done there'll be a whole lot less demons wreaking havoc on this world. They'll think twice before coming after JD and I say that's a pretty fucking great plan of yours."

"Whoa, I didn't-." Faith took a step back. Her eyes were clouded, worried about the consequences of my actions.

"You can't go after them alone-."

"Jaden-."

"Sam isn't evil-."

"You'll get yourself killed-."

I heard them.

I didn't care.

They didn't know.

I'm a Fury.

I can handle Sam and Ruby.

I can deal with a couple demons.

I'm not a fragile human.

I'm not that easy to kill anymore.

I wouldn't leave JD…

_'You left Sebastían.'_

But that wasn't my choice. I didn't abandon-.

_'You chose to be a Fury. You answered.'_

I-.

_'You left him twice.'_

_'Made a choice.'_

_'You always make the wrong choice.'_

"Phade, lets think about this." Faith proposed.

**w**

She kept her face averted, the annoyed frown hidden while she played with a blond strand.

"There has to be something else…" his fingers circled absently over her bare shoulder, brown eyes fixed to the ceiling.

"We've done enough." She'd thought it was a waste of time, not to mention risky then again it was only he neck…

"But it's not enough." He turned towards her, one hand pulling the blond hair off her neck. "They still think he's mine."

"If what you said about her is true then she can handle a couple of demons." She frowned up at him shifting so she lay on her back. "You need to worry about getting stronger." She splayed both hands on his bare chest, the slow smile lifting the corners of her lips. She needed him to focus-.

"He's my nephew."

Those words wiped the smile from her face.

"Dammit Sam!"

"He's my family-."

"Are we going through the same song and dance again?" she demanded pushing him off and sitting up. It seemed as though all the energy and focus he had expended on Dean's behalf had now been transferred to his child. And while Dean had been stupid enough to make a deal she highly doubted the kid was going to be easy to remove. The kid had a Mother.

Esme's memories of Jaden were nothing like what Sam had confided in the comfort of his pillow. Still, she would have to get Sam on track once more, she'd been so close and now she was going to have to get Sam to _Blue Earth_.

**_The Hyperion…_**

Ryan walked into a full suite and stopped at sight of the black and red leather clad figures in the living room.

"What the hell-!" he started forward only for Sebastían to step in his way.

"They're on our side."

"What?" Ryan scowled down at his son.

"Riel and Anysia," Sebastían hooked a thumb over his shoulder where the Fury and Guardian were glowing. He suddenly felt the heat coming off the duo. "They're burning away the 'shackles' those Od VaiLumen dude's bound the twins' powers with."

Ryan's brows rose in question still not understanding what Sebastián was saying.

"They're getting re-powered." Neréida added from her perch by the kitchen arch. She squeaked in alarm over the sudden heat and quickly found protection behind the kitchen wall. Willow shielded herself with Magic though she was still forced to back off as the foursome suddenly flared.

"Krap!" Sebastián cursed stepping around Willow. "Mom's gonna be pissed if you burn her floor." He barely felt the heat, more concerned with what would happen if the fire wasn't controlled. He didn't do anything obvious, no fancy moves or elaborate words…

"Bastian-!" Willow exclaimed grabbing at his shoulder to pull him away from the fire.

The dizziness was awful yet familiar and when her surroundings stopped spinning Willow could see she was in the pool or rather standing at the edge.

"Oh Goddess!" Willow breathed. She pulled her hand off Sebastián, wide eyed.

"Uh-oh." Sebastián took a step away from the burning foursome almost bumping into Willow. He felt the heat intensify, the twins burning brighter, the flames almost white and just as suddenly the flames were sucked into their chests. Sebastián let out a relieved breath, thankful none of them had 'exploded'.

_'Last time that happened a whole planet got burned up.'_

And how did he know that? He frowned knowing it was true just not sure how that information got-.

"Mom!" the twins shouted, their voices echoed around the pool.

"Go." Riel urged.

"I'll tell Dad." Valkyrie said disappearing immediately. Jericho opened a portal not wasting a breath thanking Riel or Anysia as he hurried to Phade.

"Hey!" Sebastián ran after him.

"Bastian wait!" Willow exclaimed barely missing the end of his shirt.

"She's dying." Anysia said.

"Who-." Willow's eyes widened. "Oh Goddess!" she breathed. "Wait!" she yelled rushing after the boys through the fading portal.

**_Blue Earth, Minnesota… _**

I listened to Faith repeat the exorcism prayer hardly having to correct her anymore. She really did pick up quick. Too bad she never got a fair chance at the 'school thing'.

"A Slayer." Bobby noted. He stood in the doorway, head tilted as he watched Faith who shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. "Always thought it was fiction…"

"I'm real." Faith replied straightening.

"And she's not the only one." I added.

"Heard it was only one girl…" Bobby trailed off but the question was obvious.

"Don't be shy, Faith." I nudged her, amused. "Why don't you tell Bobby all about the HellMouth and _Sunnydale_-."

"The town that sunk?" Bobby cut in. his tone was rather sharp which got my attention.

"Yes, I'd told the guys to head over there when they finished in Los Angeles." By the slight shift in expression I could see Bobby knew that. "There was plenty for everyone." I murmured. "He told you."

"Well," Bobby hedged though really, what was the point? "Dean called me. Asked me to get any infor-."

"On me." I cut in. "Because I didn't remember them- him." I shook my head.

"I told that boy not to be wasting my time. Or his." Bobby grumbled.

"Yeah, there were more important concerns than my amnesia." I agreed wishing Dean had been able to get out of his deal or not made it at all.

"No." Bobby came in, stopped at my side.

"Don't tell me I was more important to him." I looked up. "Because we both know that's a load of b.s."

He had the grace not to deny it though he would've loved to.

"Faith," I headed to the door. "Bobby would love to hear about 'The Slayer', he's sort of our Giles-."

The house shook, so bad I stumbled. Crashing furniture and breaking glass accompanied the tremor and them I felt it.

"What the hell-."

"They're in!" I waved Bobby and Faith to follow me which was easier once the 'quake' stopped.

I was in the living room when the door crashed open and the first group of demons came in.

"Get to the others."

"Phade-." Faith protested moving towards me and the demons.

"I got them. Help the others." She hesitated then followed Bobby through the arch.

When this was over Pastor Jim wasn't going to be pleased with me. Nope, he'd be real upset with me for messing up his living room.

**W**


	5. Vengeance

**Vengeance**

**_Blue Earth, Minnesota…_**

Sam turned off the main highway and onto the road leading to Pastor Jim's house. He caught glimpses of the old building, the sun shining behind it-. He frowned, leaned on the steering wheel and focused. At his side Ruby stirred, her arms stretching over her head in a slow cat like move. Her eyes popped open and she sat straight in the passenger seat.

"Demons." Sam breathed. Ruby could feel them, sensed the strength of their numbers and began to second guess herself.

"Sam!" She looked at him, eyes wide as he sped up. "Sam, stop!" she grabbed his arm but he didn't listen not until he skidded on the gravel barreling into a small group of demons on Pastor Jim's front yard.

"Sam, wait!" Ruby yelled reaching for him as he got out of the Impala. "Damn it!" she jumped out running after Sam as the demons rounded on him. Ruby drew her knife, used it on the demons he'd run into before they could do more than stand.

Sam held them back easily, palm out. He felt the strain, the trickle of blood run out of his nose…

"Ruby!" Sam took a hit, doubled over and got mad. He straightened and fought back, hit as hard as he got while Ruby gutted another demon.

"He isn't mine." Sam growled stretching his hand and forcing the demon out of the man it was possessing.

"You can't take them all." Ruby snapped coming up beside him as he dragged in a breath. "You're not strong enough yet, Sam."

"We have your knife." Sam replied dragging in deep breaths.

"Great." Ruby tossed her head and saw the group of hunters running from the house. "Just great."

Sam followed her line of sight and didn't hesitate to start after them.

"Fucking great." Ruby hissed as she followed him.

**w**

They were heading to the lake. Actually it was more like a very large pond, wide and deep though not as deep as lake would be.

"They're catching up." Faith said to the group. She was surprised they were running as fast as they were for old people but she guessed being 'Hunters' and all meant they were in decent enough shape for the job. Still, the demons were much faster…

"Keep going." Faith ordered turning to face the oncoming demons. Bobby kept running though he glanced back and stumbled to a halt.

"Girl-!"

"Bobby!" Jo called also stopping.

"Get goin', go!" Bobby ordered waving a hand at them. Jo hesitated but seeing Pastor Jim take off towards the water she grabbed her Mom and started running again. Bobby was with The Slayer, of all the stories she'd been told- fairy tales- he had to be safe with her.

Didn't he?

**w**

I hurried through the kitchen and out the back door, following the same path the others had taken. Pastor Jim's living room was sadly charred in places but at least it was still intact.

Sort of.

I wasn't expecting to get a chance this soon but I'm not complaining. I wanted to tie the loose ends and Sam had come right to me.

I ran faster, coming on him sooner than I would have last year. I grabbed his jacket and yanked hard, the material gave and Sam was coughing a breath on the ground, barely turning over to see who'd attacked him.

"Jaden?" he was holding a gun, pointing it at me, confused.

It was all faked, of course. He was just like them, the demons. A liar, deceiver- nothing out of his mouth could be trusted. Sam had left his humanity behind the day he chose to have Ruby at his side. If Dean could see him…

"No!" Sam sat up just as the heat bloomed in my back. I felt it, unfamiliar and it hurt. I was hurt. Me.

I tried to turn around, to see but my knees gave and then I was the one on the ground staring at the grass clumped between my fingers.

"Jaden,"

I heard the sound of the gun, the echo and wondered at my situation. This just couldn't be happening. _I _wasn't supposed to die. _I'm _not the one who should've of been bleeding!

"No," my voice sounded too soft, weak.

I was dying.

No. I _am_ dying.

I'm dying…

**w**

Jericho reached down and grabbed the man bent over his Mom. He tossed him, didn't care where he landed or if he was hurt in the process. His only concern was healing his Mom and kneeling beside her he placed a firm hand on the wound in her back. She grunted at the pain it caused, her lips clamped tight as he turned her over. He noted the surprise on her face seeing him then she smiled. The corners of her mouth lifted slowly thinking him a vision.

Jericho smiled in return unaware of the thoughts going through her mind and took her hand in his.

"Just in time for your rescue, huh Mom?" he asked.

"Jericho?" Phade wondered but the feeling returned to her body and her mind lost the fussiness that had blanketed her thoughts just moments before.

"That's me." he grinned helping her up.

"Jeri- Dios mio." Phade breathed throwing both arms around his tall frame and hugging him. "But how? Faith said you-."

"Riel." Jericho cut in drawing back. "Aquilles sent him and Anysia. Mom, thanks to you the Od VaiLumen couldn't make us human."

"Me?" Phade shook her head still in awe and surprised.

"Yes, we were born like this and when we bonded to our elements we were choosing to serve The Light. The Powers That Be couldn't take that away." Jericho explained.

"Mom!" both turned towards the sound of Valkyrie's voice. Phade was happy to see that her daughter was in the Fire Fury uniform. Her smile faded and reaching around to her belt grabbed the handle of Dean's colt 45.

"Get down!" Phade yelled. Valkyrie didn't hesitate; she dropped into a roll as Phade pulled the trigger. The demons at her back recoiled, lost their footing and fell. Valkyrie came to her feet turning and stopped her attack seeing the human faces. They stirred surprising her as they got to their feet. She called up her element, using the wind to blow them back, watching as they were rolled and tossed on the ground.

"You shot-."

"Demons." Phade told her son as they stood beside Valkyrie.

"Right," Jericho agreed. "It's just…"

"I know." Phade assured. "These are from the church hell dimension of demons. They need to be exorcised or forced out of the humans they've possessed."

"So, humans, possessed." Valkyrie repeated.

"Yes. There's a handful of Hunters out here. Keep them safe." Phade ordered. She had plans of her own and they included finding Sam.

"How do we tell them apart, Mom?" Valkyrie asked.

"They're the ones running _away_ from the possessed humans." Phade raised an inky eyebrow as though it should have been clear then left them to their tasks.

**w**

Willow stumbled after Sebastían running into the teenager. The setting sun cast a red glow in the sky that was quickly deepening to purple.

"Where are we?" she asked softly, eyes scanning the overgrown grass and old house.

"Middle of nowhere?" Sebastían replied equally soft voiced. "Hey," he straightened and started moving forward. "People…"

Willow grabbed his arm holding him back as she watched the trio face them. She sucked in a little breath noticing their eyes.

"Bad people." She muttered and started to back track.

"They're running." Sebastían noted sounding calm though Willow could feel the teenager was tense.

"Uh-huh." She nodded then they both turned and started to run towards the clump of trees in the distance.

"Why are we running away?" Sebastían demanded as they reached the edge. He pushed through the straggly bushes only to stop under the canopy of leaves and face Willow. "You're a witch. You have power-."

Willow grabbed his shoulders and started leading him further into the trees shaking her head.

"Watch out!"

She didn't have to think, her hair lightened immediately and waving her arm as though to brush a curtain aside, Willow blasted the demons out of the trees.

"Whoa." Sebastían grinned. "That was cool."

Willow didn't think so. She still suffered memories of her past and the mistakes she had made, the darkness that had overcome her…

"Hey-!" Sebastían yanked Willow forward, unbalancing her but before he could stop the knife from completing its downward motion a gust of air blew some of his hair into his eyes.

"Phade!" Willow gasped.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, dark eyes resting on the blond with the knife but the question was meant for Willow as well.

"Mom!" Sebastían exclaimed wiping a hand over his face to clear his eyes.

"Mom?" Jo's expression went from one of surprise to anger, her blue eyes shifting from Phade to Sebastían completely ignoring her question.

"Phade, we've been looking for you!" Willow exclaimed.

"Faith told me." Phade replied turning to the red head, dropping her arm though it was Sebastían who took her attention. Her lips turned up in a sad smile as she saw how tall he'd grown in her absence.

"Mom…" he shook his head blinking to get rid of the burning in his eyes. He lunged towards her closing the small space between them to grab her up in a bear hug. He was strong enough to lift her off her feet which seemed to startle Phade.

"Aw." Willow smiled watching their reunion.

"Mom?" Jo questioned again turning to the red head.

"Uh-huh, she has twins too." Willow nodded with her eyes still on the pair.

"Twins!" Jo's raised voice brought Phade's attention back to them. The smile on her face was gone and her brow was drawn into a frown.

"You have _other_ kids?" Jo demanded.

"Other…?" Sebastían frowned, his eyes shifting between the blond and his Mom.

"Now isn't the time for story telling." Phade said. "Get them out of here." She ordered instead.

"No." Sebastían protested.

"We came to help you, Phade." Willow replied wearing a confused frown.

"Thanks for the offer but its too dangerous for you." Jo snapped still glaring at the trio.

"Willow can take care of herself." Phade replied though her eyes went to her son. "But you aren't _Superman_. I'm sending you hom-."

Willow raised both hands, fisted, towards Jo. Her hair blazed white and then opening her hands she removed the demons behind the blond.

Phade let out an exasperated breath wanting very much to find Sam and Ruby but unable to leave her son undefended while there were demons running around Pastor Jim's place. Jo was holding her knife up again, looking behind herself to the scorch marks on the ground and then at Willow.

"She _just_ saved your ass, Jo. Quit looking at Willow as though she's evil. _This _one is on the good guy's side." Phade snapped.

"You two were made for each other." Jo replied lowering her knife. Phade stiffened, hearing what the blond didn't say out loud but there wasn't anything to deny. It was fact; everyone lied.

"I'm not some stupid kid, Mom." Sebastían assured drawing Phade away from the staring contest. "I can handle this. I've been training with the Slayers and Dad- I mean Rya-."

"Ok." Phade cut it. She took another breath and let it out slowly. Sebastían was no stranger to that and knew his Mom was trying for patience. "Get them to clump together. I need them all bunched up." Phade said speaking to the blond and Willow. "You," she stared directly at Sebastían once again surprised by his growth. "You stay with Willow. You _don't _leave her side. Ever."

"Got it." Sebastían nodded.

**w**

Bobby, Ellen and Pastor Jim stood behind Faith at the 'lake's' edge. She was managing to hold back the demons, trying to keep the hunters behind her from being killed. It didn't help her focus when Bobby or Pastor Jim would enter the fray. Bobby already sported a nice shiner and bloody lip, Pastor Jim didn't look as bad then again he'd managed to exorcise one of the demons.

"Hi." The strong gust of wind blew around the hunters and Faith while the demons were tossed over their heads and into the water.

"These the good guys?" Valkyrie asked reaching down to lend Faith a hand.

"Yep, good timing." Faith replied taking the hand and standing. Behind them the screams of the demons drew their attention.

"It works." Ellen breathed with relief.

"Pardon?" Pastor Jim frowned. He had taken care of the water himself, tossing in the blessed crosses and praying. There was no reason for them to be surprised the 'holy lake' was holy.

"Willow good on the mojo?" Faith asked ignoring the others.

"No. It was Riel and Anysia." Valkyrie answered, her head slightly tilted as she studied the hunters.

"Ok." Faith shrugged having no idea who they were. "Let's get these people out of here." She said hooking a thumb over her shoulder to the hunters.

**w**

_"Make them get as close together as you can."_

I sent the thought to them and registered Bobby, Ellen's and Pastor Jim's surprise at the sound of my voice in their heads. Right now there wasn't time for them to question me, they were smart enough to know that but later… when all this was over… Oh boy were they going to have questions. And Jo.

She was angry at me. Hell, she was angry with Dean for choosing me and now she thought I'd deceived him and everyone else because I hadn't said anything about Sebastían.

Or the twins.

Questions.

I hate questions.

_"Phade,"_

Willow's voice sounded soft yet urgent inside my head.

_"Give me a sec. Then repeat after the others. These demons are going back to hell."_

I hated doing it, hated sending them back when I knew Valkyrie, Jericho and I could kill them all… We knew how, we had the power to do so but there were too many for just the three of us when the hunters were vulnerable and within easy reach.

All I could do was mold the stone; I pulled it from every direction, beneath, above, out of the earth until I had a large ring molded under the demons. It was thin and not very strong especially when I shaped the rest of the Devil'sTrap. It rose from the dirt like liquid forcing the demons to back away angry. I shrunk it, made them get closer to each other so the stone would be stronger then solidified it. They made for the barrier but it was useless. It knocked them on their asses.

_"Now, start now."_

Valkyrie read from the sheet Faith pulled out of her pocket. The Slayer wasn't taking any chances of getting it wrong. Pastor Jim knew it by heart and so did Bobby. Both men moved in opposite directions, going to stand with Jericho or with Sebastían and Willow. Jo found her way to Ellen who had a small leather bound book in her hand she was reading from.

The demons screamed, threatened and writhed-.

"You send them back and it's a whole knew batch of demons who'll want a piece of your husband."

I whirled around to find Ruby a yard away. She had that mocking smirk on her face.

"You are next." I snarled at her, didn't give her a chance to make a move. Ruby's eyes widened finding herself lifted off the ground and held by her throat.

"You're not wanted here." I hissed, the heat already spreading through my body flowed like a wave from me.

"Stop." Ruby choked out. "You'll kill her."

"You killed her." I knew she had, Jared had said so, said Esme had gutted him… Ruby had taken her; the bitch took my friend, Jack's baby sister, the only family he had left and Garth-. He'd almost killed himself dirking that much… Ruby hadn't just killed Jared; she'd ruined four lives in total, four lives I cared about…

"Jaden!"

And the Boy King arrives.

It's not surprising; he's never too far from his demon-.

"Jaden put her down."

It almost sounded like an order.

I hate orders.

I don't like being told what to do.

"Jaden…"

"You're next." I promised and the red shimmer in my eyes had him flinching back or it might have been the wave of heat.

"You want her." Ruby gasped past the choke hold of my grip. "You can have her."

She started to struggle, kicked me couple of times but I wasn't letting her go.

"Sick of you two." Ruby hacked. "Her blood is on you."

"Not me, bitch." I hissed but she let go. The smoke shot out faster than any others, still… not fast enough I didn't grab hold but Sam had other ideas. He knocked into us both and though I tried to keep hold on Ruby, Sam was right there.

"I'm going to kill you!"

I screamed at him, kicked him over my head and started to roll up when I heard her. I froze, not daring to look at her but she called my name again, very faint but I _heard_ her.

"Esme?"

Blood was seeping into her shirt, it flowed from the hole in her chest, I'm surprised she even had the strength to manage even that whisper.

"Esme!"

I scrambled to her side on hands and knees, raising her head off the grass and propping her onto my thigh as I tried in vain to stanch the flow of blood from her chest. There were other wounds, smaller ones but they bled freely.

"Dios, Esme-."

"Why?" she breathed. Her green eyes looked at me, accusing…

"She… was… hea…"

"Don't. Esme don't talk-."

But she was dying; she was bleeding too much-.

"Jericho!" I screamed for him. I wanted to save her; I wanted her to live….

_"Esme… I'm sorry. I tried-."_

_"She was healing me."_

_"What?"_

I'd heard wrong. I had to have heard her wrong because Ruby _couldn't_ possibly have been helping Esme.

How?

_"It was Jared. We followed you, saw the black cloud and then he shot me." _

I wanted to shake my head, to say it wasn't true. Jared couldn't have, he'd never hurt her or the guys, he wasn't the type.

_"I was bleeding… it hurt-. I heard her. She said I was dying and I knew it was true. She said she'd heal me but she needed my body…"_

The bitch had lied. She had to have lied!

_"She was keeping me alive, Jaden."_

_"No, Esme."_

I did shake my head then. Our foreheads rubbed and I realized hers was slick with perspiration.

_"She was almost done…"_

Her chest was filling, blood was pooling beneath her, my hands were sticky with it…

_"JERICHO!"_

"No! No, please hold on!"

I shook her but it didn't change anything. Blood trickled out of her mouth…

**W**


	6. Ascended

**Ascended **

**_Blue Earth, Minnesota…_**

We sat in what had been Pastor Jim's living room. He hadn't said anything.

Yet.

I hadn't been saying anything myself, not after what I'd done.

I was numb.

I didn't even care that Sam had slipped away and he'd taken the knife with him.

There was nothing to save, nothing left to do…

When you die, when you have nothing, not even a spark of The Light left in you, there isn't anything a Guardian can do. Not even the Lord of Fire could bring her back, none of them could have.

And I let her die.

I let Esme bleed to death, I let her-.

"Mom?"

I didn't want to talk, didn't want to answer the questions I heard them trying not to ask. Her blood was on my hands.

Something of my expression made Sebastían quiet down, made him back off and all I could think of was Ruby.

That bitch…

"Phade."

I looked up but they were all blurry. I blinked trying to get them in focus and felt the tears roll down my cheeks.

I was crying.

Me?

I mean, of course me! But- I hadn't realized it.

"Its finished." I wiped both hands over my eyes ignoring the inquisitive stares from all of them.

"There are still demons out there." Pastor Jim said before anyone had a chance to start. I looked at him, grateful he'd cut in with something other than questions over my tears.

"Then we keep hunting" Bobby replied. His eyes shifted from me to Sebastían and the twins with so may questions he probably didn't know where to start.

"Children." Jo. She didn't have a problem getting her questions out. "He called you 'Mom'." She pointed at Sebastían. Ellen, Bobby and Pastor Jim zeroed in on him, making my boy shift uncomfortably but he was wondering about Jo's comment too.

"They're my children." I said without any hesitation. "My son Sebastían." I placed a hand on his shoulder looking at him and again noticing the changes. My little boy was a young man and though he'd resembled my side of the family when he was younger I could see Sebastían had more of his Father now.

"My twins, Jericho and Valkyrie." Eyes shifted to them where they stood, almost joined at the hip, that's how close they were.

"Twins…" Ellen breathed eyeing all three of them.

"How?" Pastor Jim asked.

"There are books that explain it." Faith said looking at them with a frown. She stood, arms crossed beside Sebastían and myself. I was surprised by her reaction. She didn't like the way my kids were being stared at.

"I don't think that's what he meant, Faith." Willow replied. "It's their ages…"

Pastor Jim nodded,

"Bastían is the oldest." I explained though their looks shifted to the twins. "I know, but ignore _how_ old they look. Bastían is their senior by… nine-ten years?" I looked Sebastían questioning but really I was just trying to remember that far back. It had been a couple of centuries after all.

"Right." Jo scoffed.

"He is." Valkyrie assured.

"He didn't let us forget." Jericho agreed with an eye roll.

"Jericho and Valkyrie weren't born in this dimension. I was… somewhere else at the time and they-."

"Got to live with you." Sebastian cut in. I didn't miss the recrimination in his voice, no one could and he was right to feel that way.

"Dean, did he know about them?" Jo demanded.

"I never told him." The silence was broken by Valkyrie. Her voice questioned his name and now was the moment I should tell them about JD.

"Yes." Jo snapped. "Dean. Her husband and the Father of her _youngest_ child."

"Jo." Ellen reprimanded. She probably felt it wasn't their place to say anything. She was right.

"You-." Sebastían shook his head, lips pressed in a tight line but he didn't say anything else. Not another word to me.

"Mom…" Jericho dropped his crossed arms and shifted.

"Are we…" Valkyrie continued but left the question trail off though her eyes shifted to the hunters.

"Are you what?" Jo demanded looking at us in turn.

The twins were giving me a reprieve and I was taking it. There weren't going to be anymore questions about Dean or JD. I wasn't going to dredge up the past year or the one before-.

"From the very beginning, before the world was brought into being there was light. It has always been."

"There are… other beings, who worship the Light, but they're split." Jericho continued.

"When the planets came into existence, the Light was pleased. Millennia passed and we…well, here we are; only the worshipers of the Light were jealous because the Light found pleasure in our existence." Valkyrie added.

"The Light was dimming. It was spreading too far." This was our history. The reason for our existence in the universe. "The worshipers grew worried; some believed we were to blame. Believed we were harming the Light by being…"

"They wanted us gone." Jericho was blunt. Still, wanting us gone was understatement.

"The worshipers, those who wanted to please the Light knew the Light would be displeased if the Others followed through but neither side could take part in the coming events." That's where we came in. It's why I'd lashed out at Reyth when he said I should hook up with a Guardian and add to our ranks.

He got one more from me in the end, even with all my angry protests…

"Why not?" Jo demanded. She was still mad but their focus had shifted to this, to what we were telling them.

"They could wipe _everything_ out." Jericho answered.

"The Others use demons, like these and others, more obvious." Valkyrie explained with a side glance at Faith.

"Preaching to the choir." She replied with a waved of her hand. "At least these demons aren't all slimy, nasty looking behemoths."

I wasn't the only one looking at Faith with a bit of surprise.

"Behemoths?" Willow questioned.

"What. I been studying." Faith retorted scowling but her skin had flushed. She was embarrassed by the admission.

"So what happened?" Bobby asked drawing us back to the conversation.

"_We_ happened." I replied. There was so much we still hadn't explained, so much we couldn't tell them…

"The Od VaiLumen, good guys, granted long lives and power to those who answered." Valkyrie said and it piqued their curiosity more.

"We are of the Light. Everyone has a choice but most never answer." It was true.

"Why not?" Ellen questioned rubbing a hand up and down her arm.

"I don't know. But I'd guess most never realize what they are capable of and we are not allowed to show them the way." It kept our numbers from building too much and for some reason Fury's and Guardian's didn't…. it was just difficult for them to conceive.

"More rules?" Faith didn't hide the disgust in her voice. Mine echoed it.

"Its how both sides insure the Light continues. The Others believe they are only doing what they are meant to do- Protect the Light. The Od VaiLumen believe _they_ are doing what is right by protecting us because the Light finds us pleasing. Neither side particularly cares one way or another, who wins so long as the Light endures."

"Which is why the Fury's-." Valkyrie cut in.

"And Guardian's." Jericho hooked a thumb at himself, smirking.

"Immediately brings in anyone who answers." Valkyrie finished.

"Why has no one heard of this?" Pastor Jim asked. "There's no mention or reference I've ever come across." He looked at Bobby who shook his head.

"Never found anything either"

"That's because you weren't looking in the right places." Jericho replied.

"Not that you'd notice it anyway." Valkyrie added sounding a bit smug.

"We don't belong in the written world, not really." Jericho shrugged.

"But there are references, few but there." Valkyrie cut in again.

I found myself bounding from one to the other in this conversation and noticed that everyone else was doing so as well.

"A word or two, maybe a sentence in any given place but never more than that in the same work." Jericho explained.

I never really got that. I mean, our ranks are small, smaller than they'd been at any period before. You'd think we'd make our presence more known, or at least not make it so difficult to get some recruits.

"Except for that one…" Valkyrie looked at Jericho, arching an eyebrow.

"Oh right." He agreed.

They were talking about my book, the same book which Kast had planted on Gemma because the Od VaiLumen needed her.

"Kinda playing the needle in the haystack card." Faith's sarcasm didn't mask the disapproval of such tactics. Then again we don't do the _one girl_ krap, either.

"It's how they've gotten this far-." I didn't get any further when Faith cut in with a question of her own.

"So how did PJ answer?"

I sighed. I really wish she'd stop calling me that. After centuries of not hearing it I'm suddenly reminded of how annoying it was to have Guy and Lui tease me about my initials.

"I didn't. Not really. I sort of …stumbled across the runes and just…" did it to myself. I jumped right in without thinking, like I always do. I just keep going forward, keep doing and moving-. It's a wonder I've lived this long.

"Accidentally answered them." Faith finished for me.

"Umm… after _Monte Rio_ and Xyne I couldn't ignore them." I'd decided then without knowing what I was getting into. If I had… I'm not sure I would have done anything different though I wouldn't leave Sebastían behind. I would change that.

"Demon worshipping KKK, _Monte Rio_?" Bobby asked.

"Why?" but I could guess.

"Boys mentioned something about it." Bobby shrugged.

"The boys?" Really? Because I don't think Sam had much to do with Bobby knowing about _Monte Rio_.

"Dean." He answered.

"So are we all going to answer now?" Willow wondered before the conversation could switch back to more personal areas.

"You already have and Faith." Valkyrie nodded towards Faith who quickly started to shake her head.

"Woa, no freekin way! I'm a Slayer, I was called there wasn't any choice."

"Only you shine as bright as any of us." Jericho told her. I wasn't surprised they could see it.

"Buffy too." I added with a slight smile, I was trying to at least but even that wasn't good enough. I just wasn't up to it.

"So…" Willow looked at us questioning.

"You're pretty much going to outlive… regular people." Valkyrie revealed rather off handedly.

"You mean they're immortal?" Jo demanded pointing at Faith and Willow.

"They can still die." Jericho shook his head answering.

"Well, that's krap." Faith threw up her hands and turned away from us.

I got what she was thinking. How cool was it to live long enough to see the world change? Let me say, it's really not that cool. Not for us anyway.

"Not really. Look at Buffy. With Xander and Willow's help, she's cheated death twice. As long as a Guardian can heal you in time…" because when they can't get to you, when you die… that's it. You are dead and nothing would change that.

"I'm immortal. Cool… so when do I get mine?" Faith asked turning back to the conversation.

"Uh- no." Valkyrie shook her head. "You're a Slayer Faith not a Fury."

"I don't understand what it has to do with the rest of us." Pastor Jim shook his head. "Faith, Willow and you, you're all mystical beings in some way. We're just human." He waved a hand at Bobby, Jo, Ellen and himself.

"Unless you'd like that to change." The offer was there. It's why we were telling them all of this, the only reason.

"You're going to scare them, Mom." Sebastían spoke up. He didn't look at me, still upset. "You don't have to be like them. You can choose to be like me. If you want…" he trailed off, glancing at his feet feeling a bit embarrassed.

"That's sweet of you honey." Ellen took pity on him. She patted his arm…

"He's right." I said straightening. I was letting myself get distracted when there was work to be done.

"We're already human. Regular human." Jo said with a glance at the twins, Faith and Willow.

"He isn't." I replied. "Sebastían…" I moved to his side, hands reaching for his shirt sleeve but I knew what I was going to find. I'd felt it, felt the change in him. He nodded and having his permission I raised the sleeve to find the black mark shimmering. It had changed but I knew that mark. "You're the first…" I whispered blinking back the sting of new tears.

"It happened when I sent you the last rune." He answered just as soft voiced. His hand rested on mine at his shoulder. I want to think it's his gesture of forgiving me. I'd like to think that…

"I'd heard of it, of this." I cleared my throat, swallowed the lump there and turned with Bastían so they could see. "There haven't been any like him in over a millennia. They died off…"

"What is that?" Bobby asked reaching a finger to trace the symbol.

"The symbol for Tau-Vana's." I replied and just saying the title brought back the awe I'd felt at learning of those few and special beings in our histories.

"The Tau-Vana are immortal-." Valkyrie began to explain.

"Well the same rules apply." Jericho cut in.

"Try not to die. Great." Jo's sarcasm went ignored.

"Your lives are extended," I glanced at them, Bobby, Ellen, Pastor Jim and Jo wondering if they understood all of this, _why_. "The effects are varied. Some Tau-Vana have an aptitude for telekinesis like Willow."

"But she's all witchy." Faith said with a frown.

"Because of the Light, what there is of it in her." Jericho explained.

"There are even records of some being healers, though most were just super strong and fast." Valkyrie added with a shrug.

"The Tau-Vana had to be in order to do their job." Jericho added and it was that which had the hunters begin to question why we were telling them all of this.

"What…?" Ellen looked at me, ignored anything the twins had started to say. I took a breath and answered her.

"Tau-Vana are in the midst of every battle. What they see is all recorded, _they are _the record, their memories- everything." Which is why the last one had died in battle. It's where they all died.

"I've been getting weird dreams…" Sebastían murmured.

"It's the memories of those who've died off." Valkyrie assured though she couldn't possibly be sure of that.

"The records are never lost. They pass to the next…" Jericho was looking at his brother with concern.

"It's been more than dreams." I said looking at Sebastían. "Hasn't it?" but he wouldn't answer, he didn't wasn't to say anything about this-.

"What does it mean?" Bobby asked. "Tau-Vana."

"There's not an exact translation for that but the closest I can figure is 'eyes'." I'd asked that question myself, asked Aquilles and Ahalya, went to Nazrin, then Tane but they all sent me to Nisha who wasn't exactly a fan of mine. Still, I went to her and even she didn't have the exact translation for that title. Or maybe she didn't want to tell me. "Tau-Vana's are like … watchers. You _see_ and that is what becomes our history. Its how the next generation is taught."

"You want us to…" Ellen trailed off, her eyes straying to the mark on Sebastían's upper arm, now covered again by his sleeve.

"No, I'm giving you the choice." I said. That's how this is done. The Powers give us a choice and nothing else. There's no 'this is what happens if you choose this' or 'this is what happens if you don't'. They put the choice before you with as little information as possible, which is none at all.

"So we won't grow old….what about these abilities?" Pastor Jim asked. I was silent for a moment then sighed.

"There's no knowing who gets what. It's just how you are." They weren't asking the right questions. They didn't know how this was going to change their lives and I'd expected Pastor Jim to be more reluctant but he was sounding more and more curious.

"A little speed don't hurt none, Ellen." Bobby shrugged.

Why is it men are much more willing to jump into peril without really thinking about their mortality?

"That's not what worries me." Ellen replied looking warily at me, I could feel her distrust and wanted to tell her she was right to feel that way. Nothing the Od VaiLumen did was without its price and that price was always very high and painful.

"I'll do it."

I ground my teeth.

"Jo-." Ellen protested.

"I choose." Jo glared at her Mother. "Now what?" she turned to me, ignored Ellen's hurt silence…

Sebastían shifted but his hesitation was short lived. He knew what he was supposed to do and he moved, stopping in front of Jo.

"Tell him where you want it." Jericho nodded. He rolled his eyes at Jo's look and jutted his chin towards Sebastían. "The mark."

"Oh." Jo blushed and covered it by looking at herself. She fumbled with her shirt hem finally pulling it up and yanking her jeans lower.

Sebastían hesitated but took a breath and placed his palm on Jo's hip. We all heard the sizzle, it wasn't obvious but with all the held breaths it seemed to roar in the charred living room. Jo bit her lip, the grunt of pain her only complaint and then Bastían let go. Jo staggered, bumping into Ellen who'd reached for her. She fell to her knees clutching at her head. Furniture rattled and the wave spread until the entire house shook again.

"Telekinesis!" Jericho grinned, excited.

"Mental midget. She's in pain." Valkyrie snapped jabbing her elbow into his ribs.

"That will pass." I replied emotionless. I stared at them, at Ellen comforting Jo, smoothing blond strands of hair out of her face. Her eyes were wet, bloodshot and a smudge of blood decorated her upper lip.

My son. My child did this to her…

"Who's next?" Jericho asked, his excitement not at all restrained by Valkyrie's disapproving look.

**w**

We have four Tau-Vana's. A new generation to keep track of all our mistakes…

I think it's hardest on Pastor Jim. He's a man of God after all. Only God isn't exactly as he thought. Everyone is of the Light…

Ellen chose because of Jo. She thinks it'll make a difference, that she can protect her little girl somehow… it would have been a blessing to have three healers but Ellen's gift is empathy. Maybe that's because she's a Mother…

Pastor Jim, well he'll be useful… he can help the Guardian's heal along with Sebastían.

At the last moment Bobby decided it wasn't his time to leave.

I know why he's staying.

I know he thinks there's something he can do…..


End file.
